NEW YORK — Australian Open champion Madison Keys was undone by 89 unforced errors and was upset within the first spherical of the U.S. Open 6-7 (10), 7-6 (3), 7-5 by Renata Zarazua of Mexico on Monday.
The sixth-seeded Keys, who was the runner-up at Flushing Meadows in 2017, made so many errors, together with 14 double-faults, that Zarazua wanted to provide simply eight winners to earn the most important victory of her profession.
The 82nd-ranked Zarazua had misplaced in both the primary or second spherical in all eight of her earlier Grand Slam appearances.
Keys earned her first main championship at Melbourne Park in January, defeating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka within the last.
Along with her run to the ultimate in New York eight years in the past earlier than shedding to good pal Sloane Stephens, Keys was additionally a semifinalist on the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2023.
However together with her left thigh closely taped Monday, the big-hitting Keys struggled for stretches in Arthur Ashe Stadium towards the 5-foot-3 Zarazua, who got here into the day with a 0-6 report towards opponents ranked within the prime 10.
“I’m a little bit small in height, so coming in here, it was like: ‘Oh, my God. This is huge,” Zarazua mentioned in regards to the largest stadium in Grand Slam tennis, which holds practically 24,000 spectators.
“When I retire, I’m going to be really happy about it,” Zarazua mentioned, “so I was like, ‘Just enjoy it.’”
When the match ended with Keys lacking one more forehand, Zarazua smiled as broad as doable, held her racket atop her head as she started strolling ahead for a handshake, then positioned a hand over her face.
This one actually was memorable, partly as a result of it didn’t come simply — though Keys stored having issues and Zarazua stored transferring forward throughout the three hours, 10 minutes of motion.
The difficulty for Zarazua was that she had a tough time closing the deal.
She went up 4-2 within the first set, then was a degree from proudly owning it 5 instances, however couldn’t convert any of these alternatives. Finally, Keys transformed her third set level.
Within the second set, Zarazua fell behind 3-0, then took 5 video games in a row to steer 5-3. She trailed 6-5 after one other run by Keys, however this time got here by within the tiebreaker to pressure a 3rd set.
Zarazua led within the decider and served for the win at 5-3, however Keys broke there after which held for 5-all.
On the finish, although, Zarazua took the final two video games.
Whereas Keys was one among 25 American gamers within the ladies’s singles draw at their house Grand Slam event, Zarazua is Mexico’s lone entrant within the bracket.
“It’s a country that we don’t have many tennis players, as you can see,” Zarazua mentioned. “We just try to give our best. But definitely, I could hear some Mexicans cheering, so that was very nice.”
What else occurred on the US Open on Monday?
Brazilian teenager João Fonseca, who turned 19 on Thursday, received his U.S. Open debut, defeating Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-3 in entrance of a raucous crowd of his countrymen. That makes Fonseca 4-0 in first-round matches in majors in 2025. One other precocious participant, 18-year-old Canadian Vicky Mboko, who was seeded twenty second, was eradicated by two-time main champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 6-2. Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, who’s 35, performed her final match earlier than retirement, shedding to Diane Parry 6-1, 6-0. Frances Tiafoe, Venus Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have been scheduled to be on court docket later Monday.
Who’s on Tuesday’s schedule on the US Open?
A packed program for Day 3 of the primary spherical consists of Grand Slam champions Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Gauff’s opponent is Ajla Tomljanovic, who beat Serena Williams on the U.S. Open within the final match of the 23-time main title winner’s profession. That is Gauff’s first match since she started working with biomechanics coach Gavin MacMillan in a bid to enhance her serve.
