Renata’s New York dream fades in a dramatic tie-break
Let’s get dramatic for a second, because the scene deserved it: Court 5 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, more than four thousand kilometers from CDMX, was transformed into a little piece of Mexico. Shouts of “Let’s go, Renata!”, “Mexico, Mexico!” and even the classic wave that we get at any event, even at a boring neighborhood meeting. The atmosphere was so electric that it even seemed like they were selling tacos al pastor outside. But in the end, the script was not what we expected.
Diane Parry, the French tennis player, came with all the attitude of the protagonist of a French Netflix series – serious, aesthetic and with a setback that hurts – to extinguish the dream of Renata Zarazúa at the US Open. The final score: 6-2, 2-6 and 7-6. Yes, a third set defined by tie-break. In case you didn’t know, the tie-break is basically the tennis equivalent of a staring duel with your ex on the subway: intense, uncomfortable and always leaving someone heartbroken.
A three-act match with an unexpected ending
Parry came out as if he had just had a double espresso. Although Renata managed to break her serve at the beginning – a moment in which everyone in Mexico hugged a stranger – the Frenchwoman responded with enviable coldness. He chained ten points in a row, came back and took the first set 6-2. It left us frozen, like when the Wi-Fi goes down at the climax of a movie.
But Renata is not one of those who give up. The girl, who has returned after three knee surgeries—three, like the drinks at a casual happy hour—brought out her competitive fiber. With three breaks of serve he sent the second set 6-2, forcing a third chapter. This was when we all thought: “right now, the drama has broken out.” And boy did it come together.
In the final set, Parry, who is ranked 107th in the world, adjusted his game plan. She played with more patience, as if waiting for Renata to trust herself. The Mexican, for her part, moved the Frenchwoman from one side of the court to the other, causing unforced errors. It was a mental, physical and emotional game that was defined… yes, in the dreaded tie-break.
And although Renata fought every point as if her life depended on it—and ours too, because we were already mentally on the court—Parry prevailed. He destroyed, with all the pain in our collective heart, the dream of Zarazúa advancing to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Now, the Frenchwoman will face the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, the twenty-eighth racket player in the world, with morale sky high. Meanwhile, here we are left with the momentary courage, the pride of seeing a Mexican tennis player give a memorable battle and the desire to follow her in the next tournament.
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