Madison Keys’ US Open campaign came to an abrupt and disappointing end after she was beaten in the first round by Mexico’s Renata Zarazúa in a tense three-set battle. Keys, considered one of the top American hopes after winning the Australian Open earlier this year, struggled throughout the match and ultimately fell victim to her own mistakes.
The world No. 6 started strongly, edging the first set in a marathon tiebreak 12-10. However, Zarazúa showed remarkable resilience, taking the second set in another tiebreak 7-3 before sealing victory with a 7-5 final set. For Keys, it was a night to forget as she committed a staggering 89 unforced errors, undermining her 46 winners and giving her opponent an opportunity to capitalize.
Keys’ serve also betrayed her at critical moments. She managed only 55% of first serves in play and sent down 14 double faults, leaving her vulnerable in key games. Adding to her struggles, her left thigh was heavily strapped, raising concerns about her physical condition. After the match, she admitted nerves played a major role, acknowledging that the pressure to win became overwhelming.
The loss is particularly painful given Keys’ history at the tournament. She reached the US Open final in 2017 and was widely expected to mount another deep run in front of her home crowd. Instead, Zarazúa, ranked 82nd in the world and standing just 5ft 3in, achieved the biggest win of her career. Prior to this match, she had never advanced past the second round of a Grand Slam and had been winless in six attempts against top 10 players. Her fearless approach, combined with Keys’ errors, allowed her to pull off a stunning upset.
It was also a mixed day for American tennis more broadly. Sebastian Korda was forced to retire from his match against Britain’s Cameron Norrie while trailing 7-5, 6-4 due to injury. Meanwhile, Aleksander Kovacevic lost in straight sets to Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong, who made history as the first player from his country to win a men’s singles match at a Grand Slam in the Open era.
For Keys, this early exit is a major setback after her strong start to the season, and she will now need to regroup quickly as the tour moves on from New York.
