Eastbourne 2026: Madison Keys secures third title with win over Tatjana Maria

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

Keys defeated 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 three or more times.

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

“I always forget how heavy it is,” Keys, 31, joked as he lifted the trophy.

“Playing here at Eastbourne is a special place for me.

“I won my first title here many, many years ago, so to win 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 regularly went to the net to pressure Maria, the 2025 Queen’s champion, and earned a break early in the first set.

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

However, Keys piled the pressure straight on Maria, taking her to a draw in the next game and the 38-year-old found a way through the defense to break straight back before setting up the fifth.

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

In the end, the American secured a break through in the seventh game of the set to lead 4-3.

This time Keys made it easy to close out the set and close out the match, earning himself three championship points but needing just one.

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

Both players next face Wimbledon, Keys’ compatriot Kayla Day in the first round, while Maria – a 2022 semi-finalist – opens her campaign against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.