The USA's Madison Keys clinched her second Eastbourne International crown in thrilling fashion with a straight-sets win over Russia's Daria Kasatkina in Saturday's final.
The world number 25 - who won her maiden WTA Tour crown at the 2014 Eastbourne International - came up trumps in an exhilarating final tie-breaker to win 6-2 7-6[13] in one hour and 42 minutes, albeit having got lucky with several shots that clipped the net cord and dropped onto Kasatkina's side.
"It feels like home. First of all congratulations to Daria and her team, it was a really stressful tie-breaker and I'm really sorry about all the lets today, genuinely!" Keys said on the court.
"Thank you to everyone who braved some of the rain and mostly the wind, being able to win the title here twice now makes these Eastbourne memories very fond. It's been a pretty tough year for me. Being able to hold this trophy is absolutely amazing."
Working her forehand to brilliant effect early doors, Keys broke Kasatkina in the Russian's opening service game for a 2-0 lead and lost just one point in the opening three games during a ruthless start.
Another comfortable hold preceded three set points on Kasatkina's serve for the American, who let fly with another ferocious forehand that Kasatkina could not retrieve to take the first set.
Keys quickly went a set and a break up with a 3-1 lead in the second and survived a slight scare in the fifth game, falling 40-15 down on serve, but Kasatkina failed to take either break point.
🏆 Eastbourne Champion🏆
— wta (@WTA) July 1, 2023
Madison Keys earns her 7th career title defeating Kasatkina 6-2, 7-6(13)#RothesayInternational | @Madison_Keys pic.twitter.com/nIddTDqpdN
However, a long backhand from Keys allowed Kasatkina to get the second set back on serve in the seventh game, but not for the first time on the day, Keys thanked her lucky stars as a shot struck the tape and bounced onto Kasatkina's side.
The Russian dropped to her knees before forcing a wry smile as Keys apologised, but she earned her revenge in the 11th game, breaking at a crucial time as the world number 25 sent a forehand wide.
In the 12th game, though, it was Kasatkina's turn to miss a forehand after already saving two break points, which would spark one of the most astonishing tie-breakers that Eastbourne has ever seen.
After saving one match point, Kasatkina was in disbelief as another fortunate net shot brought up Keys's second chance to clinch the championship, but the American wasted that opportunity by netting a forehand at close range.
Another two championship points came and went for Keys, while Kasatkina remarkably squandered four chances to take the contest to a third set, and Keys finally got the job done with an exemplary forehand after an epic rally.
Keys's triumph marks her seventh WTA Tour singles crown, while Kasatkina has now been defeated in each of her last two finals, also falling to Belinda Bencic at the Adelaide International in January.
Both players now turn their attention to their Wimbledon first-round affairs, with Keys taking on Great Britain's Sonay Kartal, while Kasatkina meets another American in Caroline Dolehide.
Ben Knapton
