The US Open
US Open 2025 Women’s Day 2
The only Mexican woman in the draw put paid to sixth seed Madison Keys at the US Open on Tuesday, with 82nd-ranked debutante Renata Zarazua producing a 6-7 (10), 7-6 (3), 7-5 fightback win.
The winner earned her first defeat of a top 10 player after six previous failed attempts, advancing to the second round after more than three hours of battle over the reigning Australian Open winner.
Keys went out with 37 unforced errors and never was able to get her game uncranked.
Zarazua rallied from 3-1 down in the second set to win it and level the match and broke the seed twice in the final set to grab the upset win.
“I was just trying to focus on the court. I just tried to find my way because I knew that when I retire, I’m going to be really happy about this and told myself to enjoy it,” the winner said.
She is the first Mexican to beat a top 10 player at a Grand Slam since Angelica Gavaldon defeated Jana Novotna at the 1995 Australian Open.
The world’s top junior, 16-year-old Julieta Pareja fell to ninth seed Elena Rybakina, with the Kazakh winner earning a 6-3, 6-0 win in just over an hour.
Pareja, last month’s Wimbledon junior runner-up in both singles and doubles, was competing in only her second match at the Tour level and facing her first-ever top 10 opponent.
“She’s really young and I think she plays really well for her age, especially with her nice technique, she has a great future ahead,” Rybakina said.
“The first match is always not easy, but I’m happy with the win. I think now I’m playing well and of course not at the level I want to be still, but slowly building step by step, taking it one match at a time, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Rybakina has never been past the third round at Flushing Meadows but reached hardcourt semi-finals at per three previous summer events.
Toronto WTA winner Victoria Mboko came through an on-court drama as opponent Barbora Krejcikova temporarily lost her racquet string dampener with the Canadian joining in the search for the precision bit of kit.
But after finding her opponent’s plastic widget on court, Mboko ended up taking a 6-3, 6-2 first-round loss to the former Wimbledon and Roland Garros champion.
Krejcikova advanced with 17 winners, claiming nine of 11 points at the net. The loss to Mbobko, who skipped Cincnnati after her home title this month, has been struggling with a wrist problem.
The Czech winner was reluctant to detract from the accomplishment of the Canadian teen. “It’s huge what she has achieved already. How well she played.
“When I was watching it (in Montreal) I was really happy she made it because it’s a huge huge victory for her. Good luck to her.”
Krejcikova, her ranking down to 62 after injury, earned only her ninth win of the season as she competed in her eighth tournament since her turn to action last May.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who left the Tour to have a child and returned last with limited success after more than a year away, left the court in tears as she played her final match.
The 35-year-old Czech lost to Dnane Perry of France, winning just one game in the 52-minute match…
“I’m not sure what I’m gonna do. I should be a mom as well, so that’s what I’m gonna try. I really miss the time with my son,” Kvitova said.
“It’s just enough of tennis for me right now, but I do love the sport, so we’ll see what the future will bring. Tennis gave me the most which I can have.
“It gave me the happy memories for everything, even (when) I didn’t win.”
Unseeded 34-year-old veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, a quarter-finalist 11 years ago, started her campaign over Dayana Yastremska, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-4
Main photo:-Renata Zarazue putting out Madison Keys in first round match – by Mark Greenwood/Grandslam Tennis
Rome Masters
Alarm bells ring as Raducanu quits practice
Emma Raducanu’s Wimbledon participation was flashing red on Saturday as the Briton quit a practice session while delaying her media availability by a day.
The Queen’s club finalist a fortnight ago stopped a training session with Anna Kalinskaya 10 minutes early while trailing 0-4 in a practice set.
The ove sparked frenzied British speculation about her fitness after the 2021 US Open winner was seen wearing a support cast on a foot earlier in the week.
Reports indicated that Raducanu might have been trying to avoid a mistake she made last month in Rome, where she did pre-event media and then withdrew injured from the Masters 1000 tournament.
Raducanu is due to begin her tournament in the first round against Croat Antonia Ruzic.
Main photo:- Emma Raducanu practices with her ankle strapped – by Roger Parker/ISF Ltd
Monterrey Open
Vekic needs five match points to win Queen’s
Donna Vekic dominated the opening set but had to come from a double break down in the second to win the Queen’s club title on Sunday 6-0, 7-6 (6) over Emma Raducanu.
The victory denied the British runner-up her first trophy since winning the US Open as a teenaged qualifier half a decade ago.
The one and three-quarter hour victory for the Croat lucky loser from qualifying round was match of two halves, with Vekic unchallenged in the first but made to battle before finally lifting victory with a second-set tiebreaker.
Raducanu was playing in her third career final and won her only title at the 2021 US Open. Vekic won her first trophy since Monterrey three years ago.
The 29-year-old Vekic, ranked 76th, was thwarted on her first four match point chances late in the second set.
Raducanu, cheered by a home crowd in west London, took the second set into a tiebreaker as Vekic drove long as the fight went into a decider.
The Brit rallied from 4-1 down before Vekic set up her fifth match point with a down-the-line winner and Raducanu’s shot landed wide a point later
The winner revealed that she had called upon her longtime coach from childhood to come join her team for the summer.
“Growing up and playing on the Tour, I was always jealous that the boys got to play on this grass,” she said of an event which only brought back the women’s event a year ago after a pause of half a century. .
“But since last year, we have the opportunity also.”
Vekic explained her coaching situation: “The coach that I worked with from age 12 agreed to come back and help this grass season.
“Without him, I would have not know about grass – my favourite surface. And without you I would not be here with this trophy.”
Raducanu made vast improvements this week which should aid her Wimbledon buildup.
“What a week it’s been,” the finalist said. “It was incredible for me to make the fina, playing in my home city where I feel the buzz.
“The crowd support was incredible and helped me to fight back in the second set.
“Today was a really tough match, Donna played well from start to finish.”
Raducanu will travel north for next week’s WTA event in Nottingham.
Main photo:- Lucky loser qualifier Donna Vekic wins Queens Title – by Mark Greenwood/ISF Ltd
ATP
Agassi seeking answers to Alcaraz wrist injury mystery
Andre Agassi is keen to unravel the mystery of the alleged wrist injury which has kept Carlos Alcaraz off court for nearly two months.
The 56-year-old Agassi asked the hard question during a tennis podcast, suggesting that the Spaniard owed the world an explanation on what is actually bothering him.
Alcaraz has not competed since April 14 in Barcelona, a day before handing in a second-round injury walkover, reportedly with a wrist problem
“It would be really helpful if he or someone close to him could clearly explain the exact nature of his injury, because at this point we can only speculate,” Agassi said.
Since his spring home pullout on home clay, Alcaraz has missed the Madrid and Rome Masters plus Roland Garros.
He is also out for Queen’s and Wimbledon with his availability for the North American summer hardcourt run a complete mystery.
“If it’s a form of tendonitis, is it a specific inflammation like dorsal capsulitis or a carpal tunnel syndrome-type issue? What exactly are we talking about, and what are the treatment options? I don’t know precisely what he has,” Agassi said.
The former world No. 1 American added: “If he only needs to manage pain or inflammation and opts for conservative treatment before considering surgery, then it’s a smart decision, even if it means missing some Grand Slam tournaments.
“If the situation is more serious and requires more complex interventions, the right decisions must be made very carefully, and the best specialists must be consulted. It is essential to allow the injury time to heal properly, because he still has many years of his career ahead of him.”
Despite his growing doubts, Agassi is able to look on the bright side of the situation.
“We could see an even more determined and aggressive Carlos Alcaraz upon his return, provided he manages to solve his only real problem right now.”
Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz will miss Wimbledon this year – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd
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