With Keys gone, Coco Gauff’s path looks wide open
Day one in Coco Gauff’s quarter of the US Open 2025 began with drama and surprises, headlined by Madison Keys’ stunning first-round defeat. The American, considered one of the potential dark horses of the tournament, was ousted by Mexico’s Renata Zarazua in a rollercoaster 7-6(10), 6-7(3), 7-5 battle. Keys fought valiantly but could not shake off Zarazua’s persistence, bowing out after more than three hours of high-intensity tennis marked by a flurry of unforced errors from the American.
Keys vs Zarazua – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Keys | Zarazua |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.96 | 1.05 |
| Winners | 46 | 8 |
| Unforced Errors | 89 | 34 |
| Serve Rating | 225 | 249 |
| Aces | 7 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 14 | 5 |
| 1st Serve % | 55% (68/124) | 66% (87/132) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 69% (47/68) | 60% (52/87) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 41% (23/56) | 56% (25/45) |
| Break Points Saved | 40% (4/10) | 58% (7/12) |
| Service Games | 67% (12/18) | 72% (13/18) |
| Ace % | 5.6% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 11.3% | 3.8% |
| Return Rating | 154 | 183 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 40% (35/87) | 31% (21/68) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 44% (20/45) | 59% (33/56) |
| Break Points Won | 42% (5/12) | 60% (6/10) |
| Return Games | 28% (5/18) | 33% (6/18) |
| Pressure Points | 41% (9/22) | 59% (13/22) |
| Service Points | 56% (70/124) | 58% (77/132) |
| Return Points | 42% (55/132) | 44% (54/124) |
| Net Points | 58% (11/19) | 75% (6/8) |
| Total Points | 49% (125/256) | 51% (131/256) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 8 | 7 |
| Service Games Won | 67% (12/18) | 72% (13/18) |
| Return Games Won | 28% (5/18) | 33% (6/18) |
| Total Games Won | 47% (17/36) | 53% (19/36) |
| Max Games In A Row | 5 | 5 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Distance Covered (m) | 2,445 | 2,315 |
| Match Duration | 3h 13m | |
Kvitova Retires, Venus Falls
Another shock came when former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova endured a nightmare outing, falling 6-1, 6-0 to France’s Diane Parry. The lopsided scoreline underscored Parry’s sharpness and left fans stunned at Kvitova’s early exit. After the match, Kvitova announced that she would retire. The same question now hangs over veteran Venus Williams, who also faced disappointment, unable to sustain her momentum in a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 defeat to Karolina Muchova.
Kasatkina, Rakhimova and Frech Advance
Daria Kasatkina delivered one of the more composed performances of the day, dispatching Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse 7-5, 6-1 with tactical variety and precision. Kamilla Rakhimova, however, had to battle, falling behind before edging Caroline Garcia 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a match that tested her resilience. Poland’s Magdalena Frech moved through smoothly, defeating Australia’s Talia Gibson 6-2, 6-2.
Other Results Round Out the Day
Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez impressed with a straight-sets 6-3, 6-4 win over American qualifier Katie Volynets, showing control throughout. Meanwhile, Peyton Stearns gave the home crowd reason to cheer, storming past qualifier Darja Semenistaja 7-5, 6-0 in a strong finish.
With Coco Gauff yet to take the court, her quarter has been ruled by young players. The exits of Keys, Kvitova and Garcia have opened the door for new contenders, while Rakhimova, Kasatkina, and Muchova look poised to carry the flag as the battle intensifies.