With a recent Cincinnati Open title in her pocket and g in her sights, Coco Gauff seemed very a lot the half Tuesday night time in her opening-round match on the US Open.
On the ultimate scheduled day of first-round play at Flushing Meadows, Gauff took on Türkiye's Zeynep Sönmez in prime time. She began her event with an ace that set the tone for an environment friendly 6-3, 6-4 win.
Gauff was largely dominant on serve, which repeatedly exceeded 120 mph. When she surrendered a second-set break, she maintained her composure to regain management of the match.
Gauff broke Sönmez to take a 4-2 lead and seize management of the primary set. She then broke Sönmez's opening serve of the second for an opportunity at a runaway win.
However Sönmez broke again to get again on serve and 2-2 and hold stress on Gauff. Sönmez gained three straight video games and had a number of break-points to win a fourth. However Gauff battled again to stay on serve at 3-3
Gauff went again up a break on Sönmez’s subsequent serve when Sönmez double-faulted on break level, and Gauff was in management from there.
This court docket protection from Coco 🏃♀️🏃♀️ h
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) 6
First spherical isn’t at all times straightforward for Gauff
A former champion who's superior to the fourth spherical or deeper in 4 of her earlier seven US Open appearances, Gauff hasn't at all times had a straightforward time within the first spherical. She's wanted three units to advance out of the primary spherical 5 instances.
There have been no such struggles Tuesday night time. Regardless of going through a spirited take a look at from Sönmez, she wanted simply 80 minutes to safe her spot within the second spherical. There she'll tackle the winner between Spain's Paula Badosa and Australia's Daria Kasatkina. Badosa held a 6-1, 1-2 lead of their first-round match Tuesday that was suspended resulting from rain.
Gauff and Sönmez have been spared the consequences of the downpour enjoying below the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Gauff’s path to World No. 1
Gauff entered the event enjoying a number of the greatest tennis of her profession that features a 6–2, 6–4 win over World No. 3 Jessica Pegula within the Cincinnati Open closing on Aug. 23. She stepped onto the court docket Tuesday on the quick record of favorites to win the event and did little to dispel that notion towards Sönmez.
There’s greater than a Grand Slam title at stake for Gauff, who’s searching for the third of her profession after profitable the US Open in 2023 and the French Open in 2024. She additionally has an opportunity to safe the No. 1 rating on the earth for the primary time in her profession.
Gauff entered the event because the No. 4 seed and ranked No. 4 on the earth behind Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Pegula, in that order. m, No. 2 Rybakina can really overtake top-ranked Sabalenka for No. 1, even when Sabalenka wins the event. If Rybakina advances to the semifinals, she’s No. 1.
But when Rybakina doesn’t, that opens the trail for the opposite three to safe No. 1, which Gauff might declare together with her second profession US Open title.
