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Renata Zarazúa Downs Sloane Stephens in Auckland Opener

The upset sets up a second-round test against seventh seed Xinyu Wang ahead of next week’s Australian Open.

Overview

  • Zarazúa beat the 2017 US Open champion 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 in the first round of the WTA 250 ASB Classic in Auckland.
  • The match lasted roughly two hours and 27 minutes, with Zarazúa pulling away in the deciding set.
  • It was the Mexican’s second career win over Stephens after their first meeting in Acapulco in 2020.
  • With the victory, Zarazúa advances to face China’s Xinyu Wang, the tournament’s No. 7 seed, in the second round.
  • The result marks Zarazúa’s first win of 2026 and adds momentum in her final tune-up before the Australian Open begins on January 12.