Australian Open champion Madison Keys has pulled out of a third successive tournament.
The world No. 7 has yet to vie since lifting her mhelpen Grand Slam title. She initiassociate pulled out of the upcoming Qatar Open with an injury and is now set to skip the Dubai Championships.
Keys was also forced to skip the Austin Open after re-accessing the world’s top 10 due to an odd WTA rule that restricts equitable one top-10 take parter from competing in a 250 event.
The American went on an incredible run in Melbourne to prosper a extfinished-adefered Major title. Keys beat Danielle Collins, Elina Svitolina, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka to be crowned the Australian Open champion last month.
But Keys’ schedule is now up in the air, as she has retreatn from a third tournament in a row. The 29-year-elderly had already pulled out of next week’s WTA 1000 in Doha with a hamstring injury.
Karolina Muchova and Marie Bouzkova also pulled out of the Doha tournament.
And Keys has now proclaimd her retreatal from the WTA 1000 in Dubai, taking place the adhereing week. On Thursday, tournament organisers verifyed Keys was no extfinisheder take parting due to a lingering leg injury.
As for Keys, the tour’s novelest Grand Slam champion will not be seen on a align court in February. On top of her injury retreatals from Doha and Dubai, she was also stopped from competing in the ATX Open in Austin.
The WTA Tour has a rule permiting equitable one top-10 take parter to vie in each WTA 250 event. Jessica Pegula, the world No. 6, was uncomferventt to be the sole top take parter in Austin.
Keys had signed up to the tournament when she was ranked equitable outside of the world’s top 20. But, thanks to her efforts Down Under, she has since ascfinishn to No. 7.
It uncomfervents she is no extfinisheder eligible to vie in the ATX Open and left the tournament in an inept spot when they had to proclaim her retreatal.
In a statement, organisers shelp: “As a 250-level tournament, the ATX Open is permitted to feature equitable one Top 10 take parter unless the protecting champion returns as a Top 10 ranked take parter.
“Only in that circumstance could two Top 10 take parters vie in our tournament. This helps to uncover firm competition apass all WTA events held during the same week.
“With World No. 6 Jessica Pegula already promiseted to the event, WTA rules stop us from having a second Top 10 take parter in the draw. When we accessed an consentment with Madison, her ranking was World No. 21.
“Now with her title prospers in both Adelhelpe and Melbourne, her ranking has shiftd to World No. 7. As a result of her novel ranking, Madison will, unfortunately, not be able to vie in this year’s ATX Open.”
Keys is foreseeed to be back in action for the ‘sunshine double’ – the two WTA 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.
