Australian Open Champion Madison Keys Upset in US Open First Round by Renata Zarazua
Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, suffered a surprising first-round defeat at the US Open to Mexico's Renata Zarazua, who secured her first win against a top 10 opponent.
Overview
- Australian Open champion Madison Keys was unexpectedly defeated in the first round of the US Open by Renata Zarazua of Mexico.
- Keys, a top 10 player, made a significant 89 unforced errors and 14 double faults during her match against Zarazua.
- Renata Zarazua, who previously had a winless record against top 10 opponents, achieved a notable upset by defeating Keys.
- Despite Keys winning the first set with a 12-10 tiebreak victory, Zarazua rallied to win the second set 7-3 in a tiebreak, ultimately securing the match.
- Zarazua's victory was achieved by producing just eight winners, highlighting a strategic performance against Keys' error-prone play.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story as an unexpected downfall for Madison Keys, emphasizing her self-attributed struggles with nerves and poor play. They contrast this with Renata Zarazua's tenacious underdog victory, highlighting her resilience against a "daunting deficit" and her "memorable" win. The narrative prioritizes Keys' internal battle and the surprising nature of her early exit.
"Her first U.S. Open with the status of major champion — thanks to defeating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final at Melbourne Park — was over just as it began."
Associated PressArticles (5)
FAQ
Madison Keys made a striking 89 unforced errors and 14 double faults, which significantly contributed to her first-round loss to Renata Zarazua despite winning the first set.
Renata Zarazua's win was highly significant as it was her first victory against a top 10 opponent and the biggest win of her career. She became the first Mexican player to defeat a top-10 seed at a major since 1995.
Madison Keys won the first set in a lengthy tiebreak (12-10), but Zarazua rallied to win the second set tiebreak 7-3 and then secured the final set 7-5 to complete the upset.
Before defeating Madison Keys, Renata Zarazua had a 0-6 record against top 10 opponents, making this victory her first against such a high-ranked player.
Madison Keys said her nerves got the better of her, making her feel slow and leading to poor decision-making and lazy footwork, which contributed to her struggles during the match.
History
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