"That is so stupid" - Fans furious over Madison Keys' ineligibility to play home tournament after Australian Open glory due to WTA ranking rules

Madison Keys has been declared ineligible to play at the 2025 ATX Open in Austin, Texas. The American, who recently won her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, was initially on the entry list of the WTA 250 event. However, due to certain ranking rules pertaining to WTA 250 tournaments, she will be forced to skip the event. This development has sparked outrage from several tennis fans.

The official website of the ATX Open, via a recent article, confirmed the development. The article explains the relevant rules and states that when Keys was signed up for the event, she was the World No. 21. However, because of her current ranking being No. 7 and World No. 6 Jessica Pegula having already made her commitment to playing in the tournament, Keys finds herself ineligible.

"As a 250-level tournament, the ATX Open is permitted to feature just one Top 10 player unless the defending champion returns as a Top 10 ranked player. Only in that circumstance could two Top 10 players compete in our tournament. This helps to ensure balanced competition across all WTA events held during the same week," part of the article read.

"With World No. 6 Jessica Pegula already committed to the event, WTA rules prevent us from having a second Top 10 player in the draw. When we entered an agreement with Madison, her ranking was World No. 21. Now with her title wins in both Adelaide and Melbourne, her ranking has moved to World No. 7. As a result of her new ranking, Madison will, unfortunately, not be able to compete in this year’s ATX Open," the article stated later.

It didn't take long for this news to make its way to X.

Unsurprisingly, many fans lambasted the WTA, suggesting that such rules are hindering the growth of women's tennis.

"That is so stupid, wouldn’t it be a big boost to have her there? And yes I get the whole not wanting a whole bunch of top players so other get a chance, but it should be more than 1 & especially if when you signed up you weren’t top 10," a fan wrote.

"The WTA needs to be stripped down to the studs and rebuilt. An unserious organization, and this in particular is garbage," another added.

"It should entirely be the rank at which signs up were held In fact the WTA rule restrictions on top players in 250s are just poor, smaller events without top players could become shafted and deemed not "successful" and further hurt WTA," yet another fan chimed in.

Here are some more reactions from irked fans on the subject of Madison Keys' ineligibility to play at the 2025 ATX Open.

"They announced her months ago and promoted her so well and celebrated all of her successes, and now they’re not even allowed to have her because she won too many matches lol," wrote one.

"The WTA stays committed to not marketing the most popular women’s sport on the planet," another commented.

"Still wild that Navarro was able to play that Hong Kong 125 while being top ten but Keys can’t even play a 250 despite her being outside the top 10 when she signed up," weighed in another fan.

The ATX Open tournament director also sent a message concerning Madison Keys' ineligibility at the WTA 250 event.

---

"We love Madison Keys...we respect the rules of the WTA" - ATX Open tournament director

Madison Keys celebrates winning the 2025 Australian Open women's singles title (Source: Getty)

Christo Van Rensburg, the tournament director of the ATX Open, laid bare the admiration that he and the rest of the behind-the-scenes team of the WTA 250 event have for Madison Keys, particularly following her success in Australia. He also expressed that the team was eagerly anticipating Keys to take part in the tournament. However, he suggested that the event respects all WTA rules.

"We love Madison and have been anticipating for months the excitement of her playing here in Austin for the first time. While we wish the Top 10 rule didn’t apply to our tournament, we respect the rules of the WTA," Van Rensburg said, as per the official website of the ATX Open.

Madison Keys has so far played 15 matches this season and lost just one. Prior to her Australian Open title triumph, she won the Adelaide International, where she defeated compatriot and good friend Jessica Pegula in the final.