Lexus Eastbourne Open 2026: Former champion Madison Keys set to face Tatjana Maria in women’s singles final
• 3 minute read
Two-time champion Madison Keys and 2025 Queen's Club title-winner Tatjana Maria will face each other in Saturday’s women’s singles final after both opponents retired.
Having just taken the first set 6-1, Keys was flying through her semi-final clash when Petra Marcinko retired due to an abdominal injury.
A rain delay interrupted Maria in her match against 2021 champion Jelena Ostapenko, when the German had just broken back in the second set.
The German led 6-1, 1-2 when Ostapenko made the decision to retire due to illness, having suffered from heat stroke earlier in the week.
Second seed Keys has been in top form throughout the week - she’s yet to drop a set and has lost just 14 games. The American has only spent four hours and three minutes on court in Eastbourne so far.
She produced some more excellent tennis on court today, losing just three points behind her first serve (8/11) against the Croatian and broke three times in the opening set.
The 31-year-old is eyeing up a third title at Devonshire Park, adding to her first WTA title here in 2014 before taking home a second trophy in 2023.
Keys had nothing but praise for her 20-year-old opponent, who she sees as a rising star for the future.
“It’s always bittersweet winning a match this way and hopefully she gets better for Wimbledon," Keys said. "She’s an incredible young player, has lots of years ahead of her so I’m sure we’ll see lots of her.
“Well I’m still here so there’s plenty of years ahead, you’ll have many more opportunities."
“It’s always really disappointing obviously, in the moment, but you always have to make sure your health comes first so that you can continue to be out here."
At 38-years-old, Maria becomes the oldest ever finalist at the Lexus Eastbourne Open in her main draw debut at the tournament, having previously bowed out in qualifying at 2015 event.
The former HSBC Championships winner saved five break points before clinching an early 3-0 lead against Ostapenko. The Latvian's errors took hold in match - tallying up 20 compared to Maria’s three – as she struggled through the match.
A medical time out at 4-1 signalled Ostapenko was struggling with something, and Maria quickly rattled off the set before fighting back from a break down at the start of the second when rain interrupted play before Ostapenko didn’t return to court.
“It was a tough match from the beginning” Maira said post-match. “Even though I won the first set 6-1 and I was really focused about every single point.
“I was feeling well, then the rain started but I was focused I was ready to go out here. It’s never nice to end like this but I’m happy with my week for the moment and I’m happy to be in the final.”
The women’s final on Saturday will be Keys and Maria’s fifth meeting, with the former Australian Open champion leading their head-to-head so far with three wins over the German.
The world No.27 won their first meeting at Wimbledon in straight sets during her first quarter-final run in 2015 before picking up another two wins at the US Open in 2017 and in Charleston in 2019.
However, Maria came through in their most recent meeting on the grass at The Queen’s Club in 2025, winning 6-3, 7-6(3). The world No.112 made history at the event – coming through qualifying and defeating four top-15 players on her way to the title at the first women’s tournament at the club in over 50 years.
Alongside her highest career title from the HSBC Championships, Maria bagged her first WTA title on the grass in Mallorca in 2018. Her slice-heavy game is known for being a threat on the surface – she got her best Major result at Wimbledon in 2022 when she made it to the semi-final, ranked world No.103.
Keys is also a consistent force on the grass, holding a 60-23 record on the surface. As well as her three grass court titles, she’s made the quarter-final of Wimbledon twice and already made a quarter-final run this swing – she lost to eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula in Berlin.
“It’s going to be a really tough match”, Keys said of her 16th career Tour-level singles final.
“She is such a great player, and especially the grass suits her game so well. She got me last year in Queen’s, so I’ll hopefully have some revenge tomorrow. Really looking forward to another final here in Eastbourne.”
How to watch Madison Keys vs Tatjana Maria
You can watch Keys and Maria in action in the Lexus Eastbourne Open women's singles final live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport as well as the Tennis Channel.
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