Keys beats Maria for third Eastbourne title

Madison Keys secured her third Eastbourne title with a straight-sets win over Tatjana Maria.

Keys beat German Maria 7-5 6-4 to join tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova as the only players to win the women’s tournament on three or more occasions.

The American first triumphed in Eastbourne in 2014 – her first WTA title – before a second success came in 2023.

“I always forget how heavy this one is,” Keys, 31, joked as she lifted the trophy.

“It’s been such a special place for me to play here in Eastbourne.

“I won my first title here many, many years ago, so to win for a third time means the world to me. To do it in front of such amazing fans is the icing on the cake.”

Keys used her powerful serve and approached the net regularly to put pressure on 2025 Queen’s champion Maria, and secured a break early in the first set.

She was rarely troubled on serve, but threw a lifeline to 112th-ranked Maria as she squandered two set points with two double faults.

However, Keys put the pressure straight back on Maria, taking her to deuce the very next game and finding a way through the 38-year-old’s defence to break straight back before wrapping up the set at the fifth time of asking.

Keys had an immediate opportunity to break in the opening game of the second set, but Maria used her sliced forehand and backhand effectively to dig herself out of trouble.

The American finally made the breakthrough in the seventh game of the set to secure the break and go 4-3 up.

Keys made easier work this time of closing out the set and with it the match, earning herself three championship points but needing only one.

The 2025 Australian Open champion, who has now won 11 tour titles, did not drop a set all week and continues her impressive run in tour finals, having won her past five.

Next up for both players is Wimbledon, with Keys set to face compatriot Kayla Day in the first round, while Maria – a 2022 semi-finalist – starts her campaign against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.

Muchova wins in Germany as Osaka retires injured

Elsewhere, Karolina Muchova secured the Bad Homburg title in Germany after her opponent, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, had to retire injured from the first grass-court final of her career.

Osaka, 28, received treatment on an ankle injury during the first set, which she lost 6-1, before indicating she could not continue one game into the second.

Victory marks Czech Muchova’s second title of the year and she will return to the top 10 in the world rankings on Monday.

“I want to say thank you to everyone who came to the match and I want to apologise for not being able to finish,” said Osaka.

“Congratulations to Karolina. You’re one of the coolest girls on tour and it’s always really fun to play you. I hope you have the best of luck in Wimbledon.”

Japan’s Osaka is due to start her campaign at the All England Club on Monday against Elsa Jacquemot of France, while Muchova – seeded 10th – begins against Russian Anastasia Zakharova.