Madison Keys, 25th player in the world, won the WTA 500 tournament in Eastbourne (England), played on grass, on Saturday, beating in the final the Russian Daria Kasatkina (6-2, 7-6 [13]), ranked 11th in the WTA and seeded No. 9.
The American won on her fifth match point, during a breathless tie-break. She led 4-1 in the second set, but Kasatkina gradually found a way to lengthen the rallies and lure her opponent into patterns of play that were less favorable to her.
Several opportunities to return to a set everywhere
Returning to 4-4, the Russian even served to equalize in a set everywhere at 6-5, but Keys pulled herself together to snatch the tie-break. This decisive game was just as exciting. The American player broke away at 4-1 with her two serves to follow, but Kasatkina equalized at 5-5, before saving three consecutive match points. The Russian then had four opportunities to equalise, but she let them all pass.
Already victorious at Eastbourne in 2014, Madison Keys won her first title of the season on Saturday.