Madison Keys– Finally a Grand Slam champion at 29-year-old.! A moment she has waited for about 15 years finally came true at the Australian Open this year. The American tennis powerhouse defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to become the oldest player to win her first Grand Slam. The 29-year-old has been getting heaps of praise from everyone, including one of the GOATS Serena Williams. But looks like there is one downside to the victory as well. Wait what? Let’s find out as an ex-WTA Pro also weighs in on this bizarre situation.!

Madison Keys had signed up to play at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas. But come Tuesday, the tournament organizers announced that Keys would not be illegible to participate in the event. The reason? A WTA rule states that two top ten players cannot take part in one WTA 250 event. As World No.6 Jessica Pegula is already set to play in Austin, there is no place for the Australian Open champion. When the 29-year-old had signed up for the event, she was 21st in the rankings. Now she has made a huge leap, breaking into the top ten, and is currently World No.7 after clinching two titles: the Adelaide International and the Australian Open. Keys could have still played in Texas if she was the defending champion of the tournament, but she is not.

This  WTA rule is in effect to maintain “balanced competition” among all. It is important to note, that the male counterpart ATP has no such rule for their ATP 250 events. The former Australian tennis player and coach, Rennae Stubbs took to X to express her displeasure at this rule. She replied to a tweet by former WTA pro Coco Wandeweghe who wrote, “Let’s penalize players for doing well. Make it make sense.”

Echoing her statement, Stubbs wrote, “Yep! I say that’s just a great stroke of luck for the tournament and she should be allowed to play. Make it make sense!”

Looks like success has a price, one that Keys would happily pay for! But if not at the ATX Open, where is the American tennis star off to next?

What’s next for Madison Keys after her success at the Australian Open?

Madison Keys unlocked her full potential to reach this historical stage of her career. The 29-year-old faced several injuries that cast a shadow on her journey to a Grand Slam. Last year, she withdrew from the Australian Open due to a shoulder injury and later during the grass season withdrew from Wimbledon due to a hamstring injury. Persevering through all that, she emerged as a champion at the Australian Open.

Up next, the American tennis player was supposed to be battling it out at the Qatar Open scheduled to start on February 9. However, she withdrew from the tournament citing a hamstring injury. The World No.7 is still listed to play at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships that begins on February 16th. With the ATX Open that she was supposed to play at from 27th February out of the equation, her lineup is due for a shake-up. 

Madison Keys’ long-awaited Grand Slam glory has come with unexpected hurdles, sidelining her from the ATX Open due to a puzzling WTA rule. Will this controversial restriction spark changes in the tour’s rules?