Madison Keys was overcome with emotion at Wimbledon on Sunday as the injured American 12th seed had to retire from her fourth round match against Italy's Jasmine Paolini with a victory within reach. After losing the first set to the seventh seeded Paolini on Court One, Keys rallied to even the match at 3-6, 7-6 (8/6). The 2017 US Open runner-up was close to securing a third Wimbledon quarterfinal after breaking Paolini's serve twice in the final set, leading 5-2. However, Keys sustained a left leg injury in the eighth game of the decider, causing her to limp and necessitating a 10-minute medical timeout while she was ahead 5-4. The 29-year-old returned with significant strapping on her leg, visibly distressed as she struggled to move and was promptly broken by Paolini. Keys valiantly attempted to continue, but after failing to chase down a Paolini drop shot, she ultimately decided to retire with the score tied at 5-5 in the deciding set.
"I'm very sorry for her. It's sad. Really good match. Really tough, lots of ups and downs," Paolini commented. "I feel a bit happy but also sad for her because it's not easy to win like that." Paolini, who was the French Open runner-up in June, had never advanced past the first round in her previous three Wimbledon appearances. She has now reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the second time, but her achievement was overshadowed by the emotional departure of Keys, who was still in tears as she left the court.
