After she clinched the 2025 Australian Open championship, USA’s Madison Keys won’t be able to take part within the upcoming Austin Open, the match organisers introduced on Thursday.
Keys beat World No. 1 and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 within the ultimate to win her maiden Grand Slam title. The 29-year-old had a tricky highway to the summit conflict, having to face the likes of Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, and World No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
The racquet-wielder from Illinois entered the Melbourne Park Slam in good type, having received her ninth WTA Tour singles title on the Adelaide Worldwide.
Nonetheless, she received’t be capable of take part within the third version of the Austin Open.
Why can’t Madison Keys not play within the Austin Open 2025?
Having begun solely in 2023, the Austin Open is a WTA 250 occasion on the tour. The match has a rule which permits just one High 10 ranked participant on this planet to take part.
“As a 250-level match, the ATX Open is permitted to function only one High 10 participant except the defending champion returns as a High 10 ranked participant. Solely in that circumstance may two High 10 gamers compete in our match. This helps to make sure balanced competitors throughout all WTA occasions held throughout the identical week,” the organisers stated.
After the title-winning run at Australian Open, Keys moved as much as match her career-best place of World No. 7. And with compatriot Jessica Pegula already set to take part, this prevents Keys from enjoying the match.
“After we entered an settlement with Madison, her rating was World No. 21. Now together with her title wins in each Adelaide and Melbourne, her rating has moved to World No. 7. On account of her new rating, Madison will, sadly, not be capable of compete on this yr’s ATX Open,” the organisers defined.
“Whereas we want the High 10 rule didn’t apply to our match, we respect the foundations of the WTA. We will’t wait to ask Madison once more to future ATX Opens. We stay very excited to welcome Jessica to her first-ever ATX Open subsequent month. She’s wanting to compete in Austin,” Match Director Christo van Rensburg stated.
The primary draw on the 2025 Austin Open begins on February 24 and can go on until March 2.