Coco Gauff kicked off her campaign for a second US Open title with a steady 6-3, 6-4 win against Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium. The American, who is seeded fourth, entered the tournament brimming with confidence following her Cincinnati title win, and her first-round performance was a testament to her current form, particularly evident in her serve.
In the opening set, Gauff seized control by breaking Sonmez in the sixth game, quickly closing out the set with a solid service game. The momentum carried into the second set as Gauff immediately broke Sonmez’s serve to gain an early advantage. Nonetheless, Sonmez mounted a resistance, managing to break back and equalize at 2-2. She then pushed Gauff through an intense service game, where the American was forced to save three break points before eventually holding her serve at 3-3, using a powerful 115mph ace to escape the pressure.
That critical hold paved the way for Gauff as Sonmez faltered in the subsequent game, committing two double faults that gifted the American another break of serve. Gauff maintained her composure to preserve her lead and eventually served out the match in one hour and 20 minutes. Her statistics were impressive, featuring five aces and just three double faults, with a first-serve win rate of 71% and nearly two-thirds success on her second serve. She was broken only once throughout the match.
This victory is part of a promising trajectory for Gauff, who has seen notable improvements in her serve reliability after dedicated work on her technique. The enhanced consistency allows her to play with greater aggression from the baseline, alleviating pressure on other aspects of her game. Looking ahead, Gauff will face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second round.
Moreover, Gauff has the potential to conclude the tournament as the world No. 1. She is among four contenders for the top spot, but achieving this would require her to win the US Open and for Elena Rybakina to exit before the semi-finals. For now, Gauff can draw confidence from her strong start at the site of her first Grand Slam triumph in 2023.