New Delhi: Madison Keys’ Wimbledon campaign came to an abrupt halt on Friday as the Australian Open champion fell to Germany’s Laura Siegemund in a straight-sets third-round loss. The tournament’s sixth seed was outplayed by the 37-year-old German as she secured a 6-3, 6-3 victory on Court Two.
The defeat marks another surprising exit in what has become one of the most unpredictable SW19 in recent memory. Keys’ early departure means she is the fifth player among the top six women’s seeds to bow out before the end of the first week with only world number one Aryna Sabalenka still in the draw. Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini and Zheng Qinwen had already made shock exits earlier in the tournament.
Siegemund stuns on centre stage“Siegemund stuns Keys.” 🤯
The 37-year-old takes down the No.6 seed 6-3, 6-3 to reach a Grand Slam singles fourth round for the first time 👏#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Psh6Vh5dvb
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon)
Siegemund delivered a composed performance using her trademark slices and spins to disrupt Keys’ powerful baseline game. The German, who defeated Leylah Fernandez in the previous round, showcased her grit and experience to break Keys’ rhythm on a blustery afternoon in London.
The match statistics told the story of the contest with Keys tallying 31 unforced errors compared to Siegemund’s 11. Despite her aggressive shot-making, Keys struggled for consistency allowing Siegemund to control the rallies and seize the key moments.
“When you beat a great player like Madison, you have to be really happy,” Siegemund said after the win. “I managed to keep my nerve in the end. If you don’t have nerves at this moment, you’re probably dead.”
This victory marks Siegemund’s first entry in the last 16 at Wimbledon. Before this year, she had never advanced past the second round at the All England Club and had only once reached the third round at a Grand Slam in 28 previous appearances, with her best run coming at the 2020 French Open, where she reached the quarter-finals.
The 30-year-old, who captured her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January after defeating Sabalenka, was aiming for a deep run at Wimbledon but remains yet to go beyond the quarter-finals in her 11 appearances at the tournament.
Her power game which led her to her Melbourne triumph could not find its groove against Siegemund’s tactical variety and she was unable to adjust as the errors piled up under pressure.
What’s next?Siegemund will now face Argentina’s Solana Sierra in the fourth round. Sierra entered the main draw as a lucky loser and will represent another unexpected face in the second week of this year’s Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, the tournament’s surprises continue to unfold with top stars falling early and new names making deep runs, adding another layer of excitement to a memorable fortnight at SW19.
