In a Wimbledon full of twists and turns, Friday brought yet another shock as reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, the No. 6 seed, was soundly defeated in the third round by Germany’s Laura Siegemund, ranked 104th. The straight-sets loss, 6-3, 6-3, marked a surprising early exit for Keys.
Her departure means only one of the tournament’s top six women remained by the end of Week 1: world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who was still to play against 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu later in the day.
The earlier exits of No. 2 Coco Gauff, No. 3 Jessica Pegula, No. 4 Jasmine Paolini, and No. 5 Zheng Qinwen had already thinned the top ranks. The men’s draw has been similarly chaotic, with a record 13 seeded players ousted in the first round alone.
Reflecting on her victory, Siegemund admitted, “At times, it wasn’t the highest quality, let’s say. But I found a way, and that’s what counts. I kept my nerves in check.” She added with a grin, “There are always nerves. If you’re not nervous at a moment like this, you’re probably dead.”
