Madison Keys’ hopes for a quarterfinals spot at Wimbledon were dashed on Sunday.
Keys, who was on the verge of a quarterfinals appearance, was forced to retire in the third set of her fourth-round match against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in England due to a sudden leg injury.
The victory advanced Paolini, fresh off a runner-up finish at the French Open, to the quarterfinals.
“I’m so sorry for her. To end the match like this, it’s bad,” Paolini expressed in her post-match interview, via The Associated Press. “What can I say? We played a really good match. It was really tough. A lot of ups and downs. I’m feeling a little bit happy, but also sad for her. It’s not easy to win like that.”
After dropping the first set 6-3, Keys fought back and claimed the second set with a 7-6 (6) win, forcing a decisive third set. She was in a strong position in the third set, serving for the match at 5-2.
However, as her leg injury worsened, Paolini mounted a comeback. Keys called for a medical timeout at 5-4 before ultimately retiring from the match at 5-5, allowing Paolini to advance.
Paolini, seeded third at Wimbledon, now faces American Emma Navarro in the quarterfinals following Navarro’s upset victory over Coco Gauff. A win for Paolini would see her become the first Italian woman to reach the semifinals.
Keys, a former U.S. Open finalist with eight singles titles to her name, was aiming for a second consecutive quarterfinals appearance at Wimbledon. She shared an update on her injury, revealing a hamstring issue and expressing her disappointment at the outcome.