Madison Keys, the champion of the Australian Open, has had to pull out of the upcoming tournament in Austin, Texas, next month due to a lesser-known WTA rule.
The 29-year-old American showcased her talent by defeating Aryna Sabalenka to secure the title in Australia last Saturday.
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Despite being a former U.S. Open champion in 2017, Keys entered the tournament as the 19th seed and had not been expected to win.
Following her first Major victory and a triumph at the WTA 500 event in Adelaide the week prior, Keys’ world ranking has soared to a career-high of No. 7.
While she revels in her new title as a Grand Slam champion, her elevated ranking has led to a scheduling conflict.
Keys was scheduled to compete in the ATX Open, which starts on February 24.
However, according to WTA regulations, only one player from the top 10 is allowed to enter 250-point events.
This rule is designed to “ensure balanced competition across all WTA events held during the same week“.
Jessica Pegula, another American ranked No. 6, has already signed up for the Austin tournament as the top 10 player.
At the time Keys registered for the Austin event, she was ranked No. 21.
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With her recent rise into the top 10, Keys is unable to compete alongside Pegula in this tournament.
In a statement about Keys’ withdrawal, tournament director Christo Van Rensburg noted: “We love Madison and were looking forward to her competing here in Austin for the first time.”
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“While we are disappointed that the Top 10 rule impacts our tournament, we will adhere to WTA regulations.”
During the same week as the Austin event, there will also be a WTA 500 tournament hosted in Merida, Mexico, which Keys might opt to join instead.
Keys was anticipated to return for the Qatar Open next month but has had to withdraw due to a hamstring injury.
Currently, she remains on the entry list for the WTA 1000 event scheduled for the following week in Dubai, starting on February 16.
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