Competing in the US Open, Coco Gauff has set her sights on securing a second title, starting with a confident 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Seeded fourth, Gauff arrived at the tournament in excellent form following her victory in Cincinnati, and her performance in the first round underscored her prowess, particularly with her serve.
In the opening set, Gauff seized control by breaking Sonmez’s serve in the sixth game and then smoothly serving out the set. She maintained her momentum in the second set with an immediate break, positioning herself strongly. Despite a spirited response from Sonmez, who leveled the set at 2-2 after breaking Gauff and challenging her in a prolonged service game, Gauff held firm. She overcame three break points, eventually clinching the game with a powerful 115mph ace.
That crucial hold shifted the match back in Gauff’s favor. Sonmez faltered on her serve in the next game, committing two double faults that allowed Gauff to break again. The American capitalized on this advantage, ultimately closing out the match in an hour and 20 minutes. Gauff’s performance was marked by five aces and three double faults, with a 71% success rate on her first serve and a commendable performance on her second serve, losing her serve only once.
The victory continues a positive trajectory for Gauff, who has notably enhanced her serve consistency through dedicated technical adjustments. This improvement has enabled her to adopt a more aggressive baseline game while alleviating pressure elsewhere in her play. Looking ahead, Gauff is set to face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second round.
Furthermore, Gauff has a chance to emerge as world No. 1 by the tournament’s end. She is one of four players in contention for the top spot, contingent on her winning the US Open and on Elena Rybakina not advancing past the semi-finals. For now, Gauff can draw confidence from her strong opening display at the venue where she clinched her first Grand Slam title in 2023.