‘I always forget how heavy this one is' - Watch Madison Keys' winner's speech after third Eastbourne title win
Madison Keys described winning a third Eastbourne title as meaning the ‘absolute world’ to her after defeating Tatjana Maria in an historic women's singles final at Devonshire Park.
The American prevailed 7-5, 6-4, to lift the Lexus Eastbourne Open trophy for a third time, having first won the title, as a teenager, in 2014.
The 31-year-old paid tribute to her team, opponent, tournament staff, and the Eastbourne crowd during the trophy presentation.
Keys started off by joking that ‘I always forget how heavy this one is’, as she proudly lifted up the trophy.
Addressing Maria first, Keys said: "First of all, amazing tournament, Tatjana, you and your team.
"It's such a special experience to be able to watch you with your entire family. It's incredible to see, after all these years, that you're still out here competing at the highest level.
"And to be able to do that with your family is just very special."
Keys then thanked everyone involved in staging the tournament.
"This sounds like a broken record, but I just want to thank everyone who made this tournament possible – Lexus, the tournament director, the LTA, all of our ball kids, the chair umpires, the WTA staff and all the volunteers.
"We get to come out and do this as our job, and we can only do it because of all the amazing people that help put the tournaments on.
"So we're so thankful to everyone who helped let us get to come out here and hit a tennis ball around the court. Thank you to all of you."
The 31-year-old spoke of her special connection with Devonshire Park after lifting the trophy for the third time.
"It's been such a special place for me to play here at Eastbourne. I won my very first title here many, many years ago.
"And to be able to win it for the third time means the absolute world to me.
"And to be able to do it in front of such amazing tennis fans is just icing on the cake."
Keys finished by thanking those closest to her, including her husband.
"I know that we've had lots of ups and downs, but it's always so incredible to be able to get to do this together,” she said.
"And it's amazing to be in the winner's circle again, and here's to many more."
The final was one for the history books. According to LTA match notes, the combined ages of Keys and Maria was 69, making it the oldest women's singles final ever played at Eastbourne. It marked a remarkable contrast to last year's championship match between Maya Joint and Alexandra Eala, whose combined ages of 39 made it the tournament's second-youngest final.
Maria's run to the final was equally notable. The German became the oldest player to reach a WTA Tour singles final since Kimiko Date at the 2010 Japan Women's Open in Osaka, where Date and Tamarine Tanasugarn contested the oldest combined-age WTA singles final in the Open Era.