LONDON — Former Australian Open champion Madison Keys will face German veteran Tatjana Maria in the Eastbourne final after the pair benefited from their opponents’ retirements.
American second seed Keys won the first set of her semi-final 6-1 before Croatian Petra Marcinko pulled out ahead of the second set.
The 31-year-old, who won the Australian Open last year, is into her first final since finishing as the Trophee Clarins runner-up in Paris in May.
Keys is hoping to win the Eastbourne crown for a third time, with her first WTA title coming at the Wimbledon warm-up event 12 years ago, AFP reported.
Maria, 38, took her opening set 6-1 against Jelena Ostapenko in the other semi-final and was 2-1 down in the second set when the Latvian third seed withdrew.
The world number 112 won the grass-court tournament at Queen’s Club last year and is one victory away from another triumph on the surface after reaching her first final in 2026.
Keys, ranked 27th, was beaten by Maria in the Queen’s semi-finals in 2025.
