Keys completes perfect preparation for Wimbledon with victory in Eastbourne

American Madison Keys beat Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 7-6 (13) to win the Eastbourne International trophy at Devonshire Park Lawn Club on Saturday.

It’s the second Eastbourne win for the American, nine years after her first and the perfect preparation for Wimbledon, which begins on Monday.

Serving big and hitting smoothly on her groundstrokes, Keys raced to a set and break lead only for Kasatkina to level at 4-4 in the second. But Keys held her nerve under pressure to take the tiebreak and clinch her seventh career title.

Keys, ranked No 25, defeated lucky loser Tereza Martincova (7-6 (4), 6-4), Chinese qualifier Xiyu Wang (6-2, 7-6 (3)), Croat lucky loser Petra Martic (6-4, 6-1) and No 5 seed Coco Gauff (6-3, 6-3) ahead of her victory.

Earlier in the tournament, Kasatkina, ranked No 11, defeated Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina (6-3, 6-1), Karolina Pliskova (3-6, 6-3, 6-3), Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, the second seed (6-2, 2-1 ret.) and Italian Camila Giorgi (6-2, 7-5).