Keys started the year in an excellent way and defeated two-time title defender Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne to win a first Grand Slam title.
But after reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open, the 30-year-old suffered a surprise from the third round Wimbledon Exit to 37-year-old Laura Siegemund.
In New York, Keys made only 37 casual mistakes in the first set, but managed to take it on a tie-break after Zarazua had rejected five set points.
The game looked there before recording for keys while in the next set she was a 3-0 lead, but second place in New York then lost four games in a row.
She managed to bring the set to a tie-break, but double errors and errors helped Zarazua to force a decision-maker.
Keys’s coach and husband Bjorn Fratangelo offered advice and encouragement everywhere – at one point said, “It’s just a sport, nothing drives on the line” – but the game of the American remained erratic.
“I want to win, but [I was] Just feel that it wins way too much. I just couldn’t completely separate myself, “Keys added.
“Once you start playing badly, it’s just a kind of all snowballs.
“I felt that I was just slow, I saw no things the way I wanted, which I feel as a result in many bad decisions and lazy footwork.”
Zarazua assured her first victory against a top 10 player when Keys supplied at the match point, causing wild parties to argue under the Mexican support team after a three-hour and 10-minute match.
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