Renata Zarazua Makes History at U.S. Open as First Mexican Woman in 30 Years to Defeat a Top 10 Player
Renata Zarazua walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday with nerves so strong she admitted she was “almost crying.” By the end of three grueling hours, the 27-year-old Mexican player had stunned Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion and current world No. 6. With a 6-7(10), 7-6(3), 7-5 victory, Zarazua became the first Mexican woman in 30 years to defeat a top-10 opponent at the U.S. Open.
“It was mainly the crowd that made it so chill for me, so I was loosening up,” Zarazua said in her post-match interview. “I know my game is a bit tricky, so sometimes people get a bit bored. But thank you guys for staying.”
The comeback that sealed Renata Zarazua’s name in history
The upset didn’t come easy. Zarazua dropped the first set in a tense 12-10 tiebreak and quickly fell behind 3-0 in the second. But she clawed back, taking the second set in another tiebreak before closing out the match in the third.
Keys committed 89 unforced errors and 14 double faults across the match. Still, it was Zarazua’s persistence and variety that forced those mistakes. Her offspeed shots and changes in spin threw Keys off balance, creating pressure that snowballed.
When the final point ended with Keys’ forehand into the net, Zarazua covered her face in disbelief before lifting her racket overhead. “Coming in here, it was like, ‘Oh my God. This is huge,” she told reporters. “I just kind of find my way and enjoy it because I knew, when I retire, I am going to be really happy about it.”
Renata Zarazua carries the weight of Mexican tennis
Zarazua entered the U.S. Open ranked No. 82 and was the lone Mexican in the women’s singles draw. Her career-high ranking is No. 51, and while she had played in all four Grand Slam main draws for the first time last year, she had never advanced past the second round.
That’s why this win feels seismic. The last time a Mexican woman beat a top-10 player at a Grand Slam was Angélica Gavaldón in 1995, when she defeated Jana Novotná at the Australian Open.
“In Mexico, yeah, it’s probably not the most famous sport,” Zarazua admitted to the AP. She first picked up a racket because her brother played tennis. “He was like, ‘I think this is a bit safer sport,’” she recalled.
Renata Zarazua is already changing the game at the U.S. Open
This victory marks Zarazua’s first win over a top-10 player after six failed attempts, according to The Sentinel. Now she advances to the second round, where she’ll face France’s Diane Parry, who ousted two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
For Zarazua, the win is already enough to mark her career. For Mexican tennis fans, it’s a moment to celebrate. And for the U.S. Open, it’s another reminder that on its biggest stages, history is never far away.
