Tennis may not be the “biggest thing” in Mexico, but that hasn’t stopped Renata Zarazua from hustling on the court. Inspired by none other than Rafael Nadal, she’s been a pro since 2012 and has peaked at World No. 51 (November 2024) in the WTA singles rankings.
Having played her maiden Grand Slam main draw match at the French Open in 2020, Zarazua most recently fought for the 2025 Australian Open title. She managed to down American Taylor Townsend 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-2 in the first round but couldn’t overcome No. 4 seed Jasmine Paolini in the second, losing 6-2, 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena.
The 27-year-old also contended for the doubles trophy at Melbourne Park alongside Japan’s Miyu Kato. and the duo impressed on the court, reaching as far as the quarterfinals.
During her campaign at the Melbourne Major, Zarazua joined Sportskeeda for an exclusive chat and shared her thoughts on several notable things, including how, in her opinion, Mexico can take inspiration from their neighbor the US to develop the tennis ecosystem at home.
Renata Zarazua Exclusive
Renata Zarazua: Yeah, I think it’s been great, kind of like a dream, every match, the support of the people, playing in my first quarterfinals, even though it was doubles. I’m more of a singles player, but it feels pretty unreal.
Sportskeeda: Do you enjoy being on the court?
Renata Zarazua: Yes and no. I mean, it’s definitely something I can’t live without. Whenever I have like a day off or two, you feel like you have to go back. Yes, but I also have a life outside of tennis.
Sportskeeda: What’s something that you enjoy doing off the court?
Renata Zarazua: I like being a lot with my friends; it’s something that brings the most joy to me, hanging out with the people that I really like. So, it’s just like going out for dinner or an ice cream. Normal stuff.
Sportskeeda: You were very close to breaking the Top 50 last year. Is that one of your goals this season?
Renata Zarazua: Yeah, definitely. I think I was [World No.] 51 last year. And this year, my goal is to end the year… at least keep climbing the ranking little by little. I think the difference to the Top 20 is probably a lot, but I will keep working hard to achieve it. And keep myself healthy, I think I’m a little bit older now. If you start to not enjoying it anymore or have the motivation, it’s pretty hard to compete. So yeah, keep firing.
Sportskeeda: Please don’t call yourself old; you’re only 27.
Renata Zarazua: (Laughs) I feel like I’m old for tennis.
Sportskeeda: No, you are not. So you started as a professional in 2012. What’s the one thing tennis has taught you?
Renata Zarazua: Mm… that if you have an opportunity, you take it. I think I had my opportunity to win tournaments, and I took them [Montevideo Open (2023) and Fifth Third Charleston (2024)]. That’s why I am where I am. I mean, the opportunities always come and go; you just gotta be ready for them.
Sportskeeda: So it’s been nearly 13 years you’ve been playing tennis professionally, but we haven’t seen a lot of you at the Grand Slams. Did you consciously decide not to go to the biggest stages until you felt completely ready?
Renata Zarazua: Yeah, I think there was a year [2023] when actually I didn’t get into anything, even in the qualifying, because my ranking dropped a lot. But last year, I won a round in the US Open; I played the main draw in others. So, I don’t know, my career has been like a crazy rollercoaster. I’m just happy to have the chance to maybe play some of the main draw this year. That’s where you get the points and money. That’s where the real thing is.
Sportskeeda: Is money a big motivation?
Renata Zarazua: I think money is not, it’s more like it helps my living because you know in Mexico, we don’t have many sponsors. So it helps; I mean, I’ve been grinding for 10 years in ITF, and you gotta pay for everything, and now I’m kind of earning a little bit. My motivation is other stuff, but if the money is here, you might as well take it.
Sportskeeda: You must be aware of the fact that your neighbor the US, has always been a tennis powerhouse. Do you think Mexico can take some inspiration from that to improve the tennis ecosystem back home?
Renata Zarazua: I mean, sports in Mexico is very big, but maybe tennis is not the biggest thing. I feel like they have players, but sometimes they don’t invest in them. I don’t know if they don’t believe in them because Mexico has some money, but it’s not invested in the best thing to help people rise. The US is a great example of that. You see juniors traveling with fitness coaches, and that’s all paid for by the USTA, so I hope Mexico can learn from that.
Sportskeeda: Lastly, who inspires you the most?
Renata Zarazua: Rafael Nadal has always been my idol. You see him; he doesn’t feel as natural as [Roger] Federer, but he worked his way out, and he figured it. That’s what made him great, so he’s a great example for me.
