London : In one of the biggest upsets of this year’s Wimbledon, sixth seed and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys crashed out in the third round after a straight-sets defeat to Germany’s Laura Siegemund. The 37-year-old Siegemund, who came through qualifying, produced a near-flawless display to win 6-3, 6-3 and reach the round of 16 at the All England Club for the first time in her career.
Keys, who had entered the match as the heavy favourite, struggled to find her rhythm throughout. Her powerful baseline game repeatedly broke down under Siegemund’s consistency and clever changes of pace. Despite breaking serve early in the second set, the American was unable to sustain any momentum, committing 31 unforced errors and failing to win a single point on her second serve up to 5-2 in the final set. By contrast, Siegemund remained steady under pressure and capitalised on nearly every opening.
The German veteran, ranked outside the top 100, expressed her delight after the win. “I have no pressure anymore at this stage of my career,” she said. “I play because I love the sport, and days like today are the reward.”
For Keys, who lifted her maiden Grand Slam trophy in Melbourne earlier this year, the defeat is a bitter disappointment and ends her bid for a rare Australian-Wimbledon double. It also continues a trend of early exits for top seeds in the women’s draw, with five of the top six already eliminated before the second week.
Siegemund will next face Argentina’s Solana Sierra, another unseeded player who has advanced further than many expected. With so many big names out, Wimbledon 2025 is shaping up as one of the most unpredictable championships in recent memory.
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