U.S. Open Day Two Recap: Zarazua Upsets American Madison Keys In Three Sets For First Career Top 10 Win

Renata Zarazua came back from a set down to upset sixth-seed Madison Keys 6-7(10), 7-6(3), 7-5 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday, ousting the reigning Australian Open champion in the opening round. 

“I was just trying to focus on the court. I just tried to find my way because I knew that when I retire, I’m going to be really happy about this and told myself to enjoy it,” said Zarazua. “I’m just very happy. I think it hasn’t really kicked in yet. I guess I’m just really excited. It was great being out there for three hours or so.”

The back-and-forth affair on Monday saw Zarazua hold set points at 6-5 in the opening set, before Keys fought those off to force a tiebreaker, eventually winning the tiebreaker 12-10.

Keys carried that momentum into the second set by winning the first three games, and was within three games of the victory. But the American began to pile up the unforced errors which granted her Mexican opponent an opening to launch her comeback. She fought back to force a tiebreaker, and prevailed to force a deciding third set. 

Zarazua would go ahead 5-3 in the third, only to see Keys level things at 5-5, but two games later, Zarazua had her first Top 10 victory.

“I feel like the experiences of playing in the other stadiums at the other slams kind of helped me a lot today,” she added. “I didn’t want the nerves to be what let me down in the match. I thought I was playing really well the past few days, and practicing well, so I  just had to find a way to use that to my advantage. The fear, the nerves, all of that; [I] just tried to leave them on the side, and just focus on my game and what I had to do.”

In the next round, Zarazua will play France’s Diane Parry who defeated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-1, 6-0 who is retiring from professional tennis. 

Karolina Muchova held on to defeat Venus Williams 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in the opening match of the night session on Ashe on Monday. The 11th seeded Muchova played a flawless deciding set in which she committed just three unforced errors, broke the legendary American twice in both of her chances, and won 17 of the 21 points on her own serve. 

“I think every first round is always tricky, and this one was especially very tricky, playing Venus,” said Muchova. “I think she played a really great match. She was very tough. I’m happy that in the third set I think I started to serve better, and I could rely more on my shots. I got the start with the early break, and then just kept going.”

Venus Williams, a seven-time major champion,  was proud of the way she played, and appreciated the support she got from the New York crowd.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a crowd that much on my side. When I lost those first two games, they were just still right there with my every point. [It] didn’t matter if I was losing and it was starting to roll fast, they were just right there with me, and it felt great,” the 45-year-old said. “I knew going into this match that people in this stadium, people in the United States, people around the world were really rooting for me, and that felt great. It felt great to have that kind of support.”

Muchova will face the winner of Sorana Cirseta and Solana Sierra, who play on Tuesday. 

Fifth-seed Mirra Andreeva won 6-0, 6-1 over American Alycia Parks, and other notable winners on the women’s side include Barbora Krejcikova, who defeated 22nd seed and recent Montreal champion Victoria Mboko 6-3, 6-2, ninth-seed Elena Rybakina, 15th seed Daria Kasatkina, and Americans Taylor Townsend, Iva Jovic, Peyton Stearns and Ann Li.