“So dumb and short-sighted,” Andy Roddick slams bizarre tennis rule after it spoils Australian Open champion Madison Keys’ plans
Madison Keys upset Aryna Sabalenka in three sets in the Australian Open final to win her first Grand Slam title.
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Andy Roddick, Madison Keys (Images via The New York Times, X)
Madison Keys was forced to miss out on an emotional home return after her successful campaign at the Australian Open. The American progressed to her first Major final and won it by upsetting two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in three sets.
Keys was last seen in action in that final. She wanted to participate in the ATX Open which is set to run from 24 February – 2 March. Keys, however, cannot play due to a WTA rule because of which, compatriot Andy Roddick criticized the tennis body.
How is he ever again going to do a deal with someone who is top 30 in the world? Just to get screwed over if it doesn’t work. You are literally weakening the toughest professional tournament business even more, you are diluting it.
Andy Roddick said on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast
As the ATX Open is a WTA 250 event, only one tennis player from the top 10 can participate. The Australian Open win helped Keys’ rankings, as she is now back to No.7. But compatriot and World No.6 Jessica Pegula has already committed to the event due to which Keys won’t be able to play. Roddick doesn’t understand the logic behind this rule.
How are we going to support the smaller markets? It is an act of idiocy that we are having this conversation and that a tournament that is four weeks from now, now what do you do? Tennis is going to tennis. It’s so dumb and short-sighted.
Andy Roddick added
I did it
— Madison Keys (@Madison_Keys) January 25, 2025
📸 @AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/v33bMm1uKo
Madison Keys was drug tested after Australian Open win
When Madison Keys was on Rod Laver Arena battling it out against World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, her childhood friend Laura Robson, a former player who now works as a commentator, was doing her media duties. And when Keys ended her Grand Slam drought, Robson joined her for the champagne celebrations but it didn’t last for long as Keys had so many commitments.
Then she came back, then had anti-doping, which is just a spanner in the works, because you just don’t know how long it’s going to take you to need to go!
Laura Robson said (H/T: Daily Express)
Following the drug test, Keys had to show up at the press conference and all these duties ended not before 2 am. Robson however was there for the locker room champagne celebration. But Keys chose not to do anything as she wanted to go to bed.
The following night, Robson was covering the Men’s singles final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev. Because of this, she couldn’t join Keys and her team to celebrate her victory, missing the ‘nice dinner’ and the ‘nice champagne’.
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Gouri Das
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