Renata Zarazua of Mexico celebrates after defeating Madison Keys of the U.S. on day two of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing, NY, Aug. 25, 2025.
Photo by Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images
NEW YORK (Reuters) — Mexico’s Renata Zarazua pulled off a stunning upset by beating sixth seed Madison Keys while American Frances Tiafoe launched his latest bid to end the American men’s drought at the U.S. Open with a confident win over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.
Keys finally claimed her maiden major at the Australian Open this year but produced 89 unforced errors in the first match of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium as she became the highest seed in the tournament to fall in a 6-7(10) 7-6(3) 7-5 defeat.
Zarazua, the only Mexican player in the U.S. Open main draw, saved seven break points across the match for her first win over a top-10 player in a grueling, three-hour and 10-minute affair.
“Coming into the match I was like almost crying because I was really nervous but I think the crowd made it so chill for me,” she said. “I could hear some Mexican (fans) cheering so that was very nice.”
She will hope to recreate the magic in the second round, where she faces Frenchwoman Diane Parry, who had no problems eliminating the twice Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova 6-1 6-0 in her final professional match.
The 17th seed Tiafoe provided the home fans some relief as he sent over 51 winners to beat Nishioka 6-3 7-6(6) 6-3, closing out the afternoon program on Ashe with his 19th ace.
The twice semi-finalist joins fourth seed Taylor Fritz and sixth seed Ben Shelton in the second round, as they aim to become the first American man to lift the U.S. Open trophy in 22 years. He plays U.S. qualifier Martin Damm next.
Twice major winner Barbora Krejcikova knocked out Victoria Mboko 6-3 6-2 in the first match on Louis Armstrong Stadium after missing several months injured this year, weeks after the promising Canadian teenager’s career breakthrough in Montreal.
She next plays Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.
Last year’s semi-finalist Jack Draper dismissed Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4 7-5 6-7(7) 6-2 in the second match on Armstrong and plays Belgian Zizou Bergs next.
The British fifth seed is joined in the second round by compatriot Cameron Norrie, who advanced after American Sebastian Korda retired when trailing 7-5 6-4. He will next play Argentinian Francisco Comesana.
The 19-year-old Brazilian fan favorite Joao Fonseca brought thrills to the Grandstand crowd as he kept his dream 2025 season on track with a 7-6(3) 7-6(5) 6-3 win over Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, setting up a meeting with 21st seed Tomas Machac.
Venus exits
Venus Williams showed flashes of vintage form under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday but despite pushing Karolina Muchova to a deciding set the 45-year-old American fell 6-3 2-6 6-1 in a thrilling U.S. Open first-round battle.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion was making a record-extending 25th main draw appearance in New York, where she won the title in 2000 and 2001, and delivered a spirited performance before a packed and partisan crowd.
“I didn’t win today, but I’m very proud of how I played,” said Williams, who is now ranked number 582 in the world and received a wildcard to play in the tournament. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a crowd that much on my side … every point.
“It didn’t matter if I was losing… they were just right there with me.
“I knew going into this match that people in the stadium, people in the United States, people around the world were really rooting for me. And that felt great. It felt great to have that kind of support.”
Muchova took the opening set with a pair of well-timed breaks, but Williams responded well, using sharp net play and powerful groundstrokes to break early in the second before a blistering backhand winner earned her a double break and a 5-2 lead.
She needed three set points but finally clinched the set when Muchova sent a forehand long.
But the Czech, a U.S. Open semi-finalist in each of the last two years, hit back hard in the decider as Williams’ energy faded, racing through the set to seal victory and end the American’s latest comeback bid in two hours.
“I was stressed,” Muchova said. “It was an unbelievable atmosphere. She’s such a legend, so it’s nice to share the court with her.
“I think she played really incredible. She still loves the sport, and she enjoys playing. It’s just nice to see.
“I just congratulated her and thanked her for the match. I mean, I could tell her more, but I have big respect for her, so I just said thank you and congrats on a nice match.”
Illness
Williams, whose last U.S. Open appearance ended in a 6-1 6-1 defeat by Greet Minnen in 2023, enjoyed thunderous applause with every point she won and left the court to a warm ovation from fans.
Few could have envisioned her playing well into her 40s after she withdrew from the U.S. Open in 2011, disclosing that she had been diagnosed Sjogren’s, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and joint pain.
Despite that devastating blow, she mounted an extraordinary career comeback to reach the Australian Open and Wimbledon finals in 2017.
Asked what she had proved by returning to the Grand Slam stage at the age of 45, Williams referenced her struggles with illness and injury.
“I think for me getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy,” she said.
“When you play unhealthy, it’s in your mind. It’s not just how you feel. You get stuck in your mind, too.
“It was nice to be free.”
