Launching her quest for a second US Open title, Coco Gauff displayed a poised performance with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The American, seeded fourth, came into the tournament with momentum from her recent Cincinnati title victory and demonstrated this form through a solid showing in her first-round match.
Gauff’s serve was a highlight as she broke Sonmez in the sixth game to take control of the first set. She maintained her momentum into the second set by breaking Sonmez immediately, establishing a strong foothold. Despite a spirited response from Sonmez, who broke back to level the set at 2-2 and challenged Gauff in a lengthy service game, the American held her nerve. Gauff fended off three break points, using a powerful 115mph ace to secure the 3-3 hold, which proved pivotal.
The turning point came when Sonmez faltered on her serve, committing two double faults that allowed Gauff to break again. From there, Gauff managed her lead effectively, wrapping up the match in one hour and 20 minutes. Her statistics included five aces and three double faults, with a commanding 71% of first-serve points won and nearly two-thirds on her second serve, losing her serve only once throughout the match.
This victory marks another step in Gauff’s promising trajectory, underscored by her enhanced consistency on serve, a result of significant work on her technique. This improvement has not only fortified her baseline game but also lessened the burden on other aspects of her performance. In the next round, Gauff is set to face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa.
Beyond progressing in the tournament, Gauff is also in contention for the world No. 1 ranking. She is one of four players who can achieve this, provided she wins the US Open and Elena Rybakina does not advance beyond the semi-finals. As she advances, Gauff draws confidence from her strong start at the venue where she captured her maiden Grand Slam title in 2023.