Organizers of the Internationaux de Strasbourg, a key clay-court warm-up event for the French Open, announced Monday that American top player Madison Keys has pulled out of this year’s tournament due to a nagging left thigh injury.
Ranked 19th in the world, Keys was not just any participant heading into this week’s competition in Strasbourg, France — she entered the event as its reigning 2024 singles champion, making her withdrawal a notable blow to the tournament’s star power. In a public statement confirming her exit, Keys explained that the choice to step back was made out of a strategic focus on getting fit in time for the year’s second Grand Slam tournament.
“ I’ve decided it’s best to withdraw from Strasbourg to get healthy and ready to compete in Roland Garros,” Keys said.
The 2025 French Open is set to kick off on May 24 at the iconic Roland Garros stadium in Paris, and Keys has a history of strong performances on the Paris clay. The American famously advanced all the way to the women’s singles semifinals of the clay-court Grand Slam back in 2018, cementing her reputation as a serious contender on the surface.
Injury concerns around Keys emerged over the weekend, when she was forced to retire mid-match in the final of the Clarins Trophy on Sunday. At the time of the stoppage, Keys held a commanding 6-3, 3-3 lead over France’s home favorite Diane Parry, leaving her unable to claim that title as she was forced to prioritize recovery.
The withdrawal leaves tournament organizers to adjust their draw, with a lucky loser or alternate set to take Keys’ place in the main draw as the event gets underway this week. For Keys and her team, the priority remains managing the minor thigh injury to avoid further setbacks ahead of the year’s most important clay-court championship.