Australian Open champ Madison Keys loses in US Open first spherical

Madison Keys, of the US, returns a shot to Renata Zarazua, of Mexico, in the course of the first spherical of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Picture/Seth Wenig)

NEW YORK — Just about from the get-go on the US Open on Monday, Madison Keys might inform she wasn’t hitting the ball properly or feeling very a lot in any respect just like the self-confident participant who claimed her first Grand Slam title on the Australian Open in January.

After 89 unforced errors, together with 14 double-faults, the No. 6-seeded Keys was gone from Flushing Meadows within the first spherical with a 6-7 (10), 7-6 (3), 7-5 loss to 82nd-ranked Renata Zarazua of Mexico.

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“For the primary time shortly … my nerves actually bought the higher of me, and it type of turned a bit bit paralyzing,” stated Keys, the runner-up in New York to good buddy Sloane Stephens in 2017 and a semifinalist in 2018 and 2023. “I felt like I used to be simply sluggish. I wasn’t seeing issues the best way that I wished to, which I really feel like resulted in quite a lot of unhealthy choices and lazy footwork.”

Her first U.S. Open with the standing of main champion — because of defeating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka within the ultimate at Melbourne Park — was over simply because it started.

“You at all times type of really feel first-round jitters and, because the day is getting nearer, feeling a bit bit increasingly nervous,” stated Keys, who performed along with her left thigh closely taped. “However I really feel like, for no matter motive, immediately I simply couldn’t separate myself from … feeling like profitable issues simply method an excessive amount of.”

She made so many errors off the spin-laden pictures coming her method that Zarazua wanted to supply simply eight winners to earn the largest victory of her profession. Zarazua misplaced within the first or second spherical of all eight of her earlier Slam appearances.

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But in some way, it was Zarazua who managed to cope with any nervousness higher, regardless that she was competing in cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium for the primary time and had solely had an opportunity to hit there as soon as a few days prior.

The 5-foot-3 Zarazua got here into the day with a 0-6 report in opposition to opponents ranked within the prime 10.

“I’m a bit bit small in peak, so coming in right here, it was like: ‘Oh, my God. That is enormous,’” Zarazua stated in regards to the largest stadium in tennis, which holds almost 24,000 spectators.

When the match ended with Keys lacking a forehand, Zarazua smiled as broad as potential, held her racket atop her head, then positioned a hand over her face.

This one actually was memorable, partially as a result of it didn’t come simply and lasted 3 hours, 10 minutes.

Zarazua trailed by a set — after frittering away 5 possibilities to take the opener — and 3-0 within the second.

Fairly a frightening deficit. However she by no means went away.

“Kudos to her for making me play quite a lot of balls immediately,” Keys stated. “I imply, she’s a difficult participant.”

Whereas Keys was one in every of 25 American gamers within the ladies’s singles draw, the 27-year-old Zarazua is Mexico’s lone entrant within the bracket. She moved to San Antonio as a teen, and is now primarily based in Florida.

“In Mexico, yeah, it’s in all probability not probably the most well-known sport,” Zarazua stated about tennis, which she picked up after beginning out in gymnastics and diving.

“I bought into tennis,” she defined, “simply because my brother was taking part in, and he was like, ‘I believe this can be a bit safer sport.’”