NEW YORK — For years, Renata Zarazua has labored at the fringes of big-time tennis, far from the spotlight.
Last year was the first time in the 27-year-old Mexican’s career that she played in all four Grand Slam singles main draws. The two titles on her resume are both WTA 125s, a year ago in Charleston and, in 2023, Montevideo. Her career-high ranking is No. 51.
Before Monday, the feisty 5-foot-3 player had never, ever beaten a PIF WTA Rankings Top 10 player.
But in sprawling Arthur Ashe Stadium, playing with fiery intensity and undeniable determination, Zarazua changed that with the biggest victory of her career, by an astounding 6-7 (10), 7-6 (3), 7-5 score over reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
Zarazua, who trailed by a set and 3-0, is the first Mexican woman to defeat a Top 10 seed at a Grand Slam since Angelica Gavaldon took down Jana Novotna at the 1995 Australian Open.
The match required a draining 3 hours and 10 minutes.
Check out these final point totals: Zarazua 131, Keys 125.
“Coming into the match, I was almost crying, I was so nervous,” Zarazua said in her on-court interview. “[Mexico is] a country we don’t have many tennis players. I could hear some Mexican cheering, so that was very nice.”
For context, consider that this was only her ninth major main-draw and she has never advanced past the second round. She’ll have that chance when she meets Diane Parry, a 6-1, 6-0 winner over retiring Petra Kvitova.
Zarazua was previously 0-6 against Top 10 players, losing most recently to No. 10 Elena Rybakina in Cincinnati earlier this month.
That she did it against Keys made the accomplishment even more impressive. Coming in, Keys led all women with 15 three-set victories and 10 comeback wins.
“I’m a little bit small in height, so coming [onto Ashe],” Zarazua said, “I was like, ‘Oh, my God, the court is so big. I just tried to find my way.”
Keys was her own worst enemy, hitting 89 unforced errors, against 46 winners. Zarazua was a more modest 34 and eight.
Zarazua evened their career series at 1-all. After winning 13 straight first-round matches in majors, Keys lost for only the sixth time in 49 first-round matches.
The first set was a match in itself, running some 72 minutes and featuring nine set points — five of them belonging to Zarazua, a Mexican ranked No. 82.
In the end, Keys saved them all. With the tiebreak score 10-all, with points at 51 each, Keys smashed a forehand winner and Zarazua’s tired forehand found the net. Keys responded with a fist pump and, sitting in the stands, actor Jeff Goldblum’s face wore a look of disbelief.
Keys ran out to a 3-0 lead in the second set, but Zarazua countered by going on a five-game streak. But serving for the set, she was broken by Keys (with another massive forehand winner) to level the frame at 5-all.
Naturally, it went to another tiebreak.
This time, Zarazua got off to a big lead; her forehand passing shot put her up 5-2. A Keys double fault brought her a set point, which she converted with a backhand winner.
The third set progressed on serve — until Zarazua broke Keys following a double fault and a backhand that soared long.
Serving for the match at 5-3, Zarazua was two points from the match, but two groundstroke errors gave the game to Keys and it was back on serve. Keys, again two points from defeat at deuce, escaped again for 5-all.
Zarazua broke Keys for the sixth time in the definitive game, when two Keys’ forehands found the net.