Due to the WTA rule, Madison Keys was denied entry into the ATX Open which is scheduled to start on February 24.

Sam Stosur, Madison Keys, Rennae Stubbs (Images via X, Wikipedia

The ATX Open, which is scheduled to start on 24 February, could have been Madison Keys‘ first tournament after her Australian Open win. But due to a WTA rule, Keys cannot participate in the WTA 250 event in Texas.

There are lots of ins and outs that I don’t understand and I think it’s a real shame for some of those tournaments that they don’t get a player.

Sam Stosur said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast

Keys wanted to play in that tournament but because she climbed back to No.7 in the WTA rankings, she can’t feature. Before her, compatriot Jessica Pegula, the World No.6, has committed to the tournament. Stubbs pointed out that there are four Americans inside the top 10 at present and instead of promoting the sport in America, the WTA rule is hampering the growth of the tournaments.

To me it’s shooting yourself in the foot. If someone enters a tournament and wants to play there and wins the Australian Open and happens to get inside the top 10, well lucky them!

Rennae Stubbs said

Stosur also pointed out how, last year, Emma Navarro, after losing the China Open, took a wild card into the Hong Kong Open, a 125 event. For the 2011 US Open champion, this was ‘ridiculous’ as top 10 players are not allowed to play but can take the wild cards to participate.

Sam Stosur wants Madison Keys to skip the WTA 1000 events in Doha and Dubai

What’s next for Madison Keys? After lifting the Australian Open, Sam Stosur advised her compatriot to skip the two back-to-back WTA 1000 events, the Qatar Open and the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Madison Keys (Image via X)

If I was her and could go back, I probably wouldn’t bother playing Doha if that is the next one after Abu Dhabi. Just take some time and enjoy, you are not going to win matches now just because you won the Australian Open.

Sam Stosur said

The 40-year-old said Keys should only play in Dubai depending on how she’s feeling. Keys withdrew from the ongoing Abu Dhabi Open because of a hamstring injury and has pulled out of the event in Doha as well.

En route to Key’s successful run at Melbourne Park, she knocked out Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, and Iga Swiatek before upsetting Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Before this Australian Open, Keys had reached the final of the 2017 US Open but was defeated by Sloane Stephens.