Madison Keys secured her third Eastbourne title with a straight-set win over Tatjana Maria.
Keys beat German Maria 7-5 6-4 to affix tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova as the one gamers to win the ladies’s event on three or extra events.
The American first triumphed in Eastbourne in 2014 – her first WTA title – earlier than a second success got here in 2023.
“I at all times neglect how heavy this one is,” Keys, 31, joked as she lifted the trophy.
“It has been such a particular place for me to play right here in Eastbourne.
“I gained my first title right here many, a few years in the past, so to win for a 3rd time means the world to me. To do it in entrance of such superb followers is the icing on the cake.”
Keys used her highly effective serve and approached the web often to place stress on 2025 Queen’s champion Maria, and secured a break early within the first set.
She had been hardly ever troubled on serve, however threw a lifeline to 112th-ranked Maria as she squandered two set factors with two double faults.
Nevertheless, Keys put the stress straight again on Maria, taking her to deuce the very subsequent sport and discovering a method by means of the 38-year-old’s defence to interrupt straight again earlier than wrapping up the set on the fifth time of asking.
Keys had an instantaneous alternative to interrupt within the opening sport of the second set, however Maria used her sliced forehand and backhand successfully to dig herself out of hassle.
The American lastly made the breakthrough within the seventh sport of the set to safe the break and go 4-3 up.
Keys made simpler work this time of closing out the set and with it the match, incomes herself three championship factors however needing just one.
The 2025 Australian Open champion, who has now gained 11 tour titles, didn’t drop a set all week and continues her spectacular run in tour finals, having gained her previous 5.
Subsequent up for each gamers is Wimbledon, with Keys set to face compatriot Kayla Day within the first spherical, whereas Maria – a 2022 semi-finalist – begins her marketing campaign in opposition to Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.
