Wimbledon 2014: Madison Keys ruled out through injury abductor injury before she has a chance to step out on court
Keys' match against Yaroslava Shvedoverwas suspended on Saturday night but Keys was unfit to continue on Monday morning
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Your support makes all the difference.Madison Keys, the 19-year-old American with a man’s serve, took her leave of Wimbledon this morning without stepping on court. An abductor injury sustained in her day-nighter against Yaroslava Shvedover on Saturday forced her out of the tournament a week after winning her maiden title at Eastbourne.
The third-round match was finally suspended at 9.36pm on Saturday with neither the line judges nor Hawkeye able to establish the validity of calls. Leading 6-5 in the second set after dropping the first on a tie-break, Keys called for a medical time out, but was forced to continue in the worsening light. The last game went to Shvedover before the umpire called a halt at six apiece.
Barely able to walk Keys, who sends down serves at 120mph-plus, left the court close to tears. Intensive treatment yesterday proved in vain and after a brief attempt to warm-up this morning Keys conceded defeat. “They warned me it could get worse and make recovery longer. I came in this morning I had lots of tape on but couldn’t get through warm up.
“It will be difficult not to be playing in the next couple of days. I was trying not to ball my eyes out having to come off court. This is not how I want to be leaving Wimbledon. But I have to take it in my stride and accept it. It was the pain and also realising what the pain meant. It was hurting so badly.”
Though Keys did not blame her injury on being asked to play on in fading light 40 minutes after play was suspended on Court No 1, it is clear the extra time on court did not help her condition.
“She (umpire) said something about it getting darker after the first set,” Keys said. “I mentioned something, then again I mentioned something at 5-4. She said we could play a little bit longer. Then at 6-5 she told me it had to be on an even game, so we just played the one more game.
“I think the umpires, the line judges were having a hard time making the best calls. I think one of them commented that he didn't even know because it was so dark.”
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