"I was almost crying" - Madison Keys-conqueror Renata Zarazua makes emotional admission after pulling off shock US Open upset

Renata Zarazua pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the US Open so far when she outdid Madison Keys on Monday in New York. After her win, the Mexican made an honest admission about her pre-game jitters as she thanked the crowd for their support in an emotional speech.

Going into Zarazua and Keys’ clash, the American was an undoubted favorite for the win. However, Zarazua quickly made it clear that she wasn't going to be an easy opponent, pushing the Australian Open champion to her limits from the beginning. While Keys managed to scrape through 7-6(10) in the opening set, Zarazua eventually managed to pull ahead 7-6(3), 7-5.

After her triumph, Renata Zarazua admitted she had been nervous prior to the match and thanked the crowd for their support, saying,

“Coming into the match I was like almost crying because I was really nervous. The crowd made it so chill for me so I was loosening up. Thank you for staying. I know my game is a bit tricky. So sometimes people get a bit bored. Thank you for staying till the end.”

For Zarazua, this win over Madison Keys marks her first-ever victory over a top 10 player on the WTA Tour.

Renata Zarazua opens up about representing Mexico at the Arthur Ashe Stadium

Zarazua at the 2025 US Open (Image Source: Getty)

For Renata Zarazua, the stakes at the US Open are incredibly high. The 27-year-old is the sole Mexican in the singles main draw at the Grand Slam, and is representing her entire country.

Reflecting on this, Zarazua admitted that tennis wasn't a popular sport in Mexico, but highlighted the support she got from the audience in New York, saying,

“I think it's a country where we don't have many many tennis players as you can see, but I had some of the Mexican tennis from doubles cheering for me. So, we just tried to give our best, but yeah, definitely I could hear some uh Mexican cheering. So yeah, that was very nice.”

Zarazua went on to share her thoughts about competing at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, saying,

“So coming in here, it was like, oh my gosh, this is huge. But uh I was just trying to focus on the court basically. I just tried to find my way and kind of enjoy it because I knew when I retire I'm going to be really happy about it.”

Up next, Renata Zarazua will return to action at the US Open on Wednesday, August 27. The Mexican will be taking on Diane Perry for her second round encounter.