1 hr. ago
Coco Gauff returned to the scene of her grand slam breakthrough on a rain-lashed Tuesday night and safely cleared the first hurdle toward another, launching her pursuit of a second US Open ******* le in four years with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez beneath the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 22-year-old American, seeded fourth in New York, arrived with momentum and expectation running particularly high, fresh off her first ******* le of the year in Cincinnati and having shown encouraging signs that the serve which has so often dictated the rest of her game is becoming a more reliable weapon. Now, three years after she first lifted the trophy here, both a third major championship and the world No 1 ranking are within her reach.
Gauff got off to a confident start before a buzzing crowd, crunching a pair of early aces in a love hold, but the 54th-ranked Sonmez held her own in the muscular baseline exchanges throughout the opening five games. Gauff took control in the sixth, breaking her opponent's serve without dropping a point, then steadied herself through an uneven service game to move to the brink of the set at 5-2. Sonmez held to prolong it, but Gauff calmly served it out after 33 minutes as the heavy rainfall pounding the roof overhead reverberated through Ashe like the inside of a bass drum.
The second set was less straightforward. Gauff broke immediately and appeared poised to pull away, but Sonmez responded by attacking the net and taking advantage of a sudden dip in the American's level, breaking back for 2-all with a searing backhand winner. Gauff then had to dig out of a marathon 16-point service game at 2-3, saving three break points before finally escaping with a 115mph ace down the middle to complete the hold for 3-all. "I knew if I could hold that game, I felt confident breaking the next game," Gauff said.
That proved prescient. Sonmez double-faulted twice in the next game to surrender the critical break, before Gauff consolidated for 5-3 and shortly after held at love to close the show after 1hr 20min.
#hold #title
The 22-year-old American, seeded fourth in New York, arrived with momentum and expectation running particularly high, fresh off her first ******* le of the year in Cincinnati and having shown encouraging signs that the serve which has so often dictated the rest of her game is becoming a more reliable weapon. Now, three years after she first lifted the trophy here, both a third major championship and the world No 1 ranking are within her reach.
Gauff got off to a confident start before a buzzing crowd, crunching a pair of early aces in a love hold, but the 54th-ranked Sonmez held her own in the muscular baseline exchanges throughout the opening five games. Gauff took control in the sixth, breaking her opponent's serve without dropping a point, then steadied herself through an uneven service game to move to the brink of the set at 5-2. Sonmez held to prolong it, but Gauff calmly served it out after 33 minutes as the heavy rainfall pounding the roof overhead reverberated through Ashe like the inside of a bass drum.
The second set was less straightforward. Gauff broke immediately and appeared poised to pull away, but Sonmez responded by attacking the net and taking advantage of a sudden dip in the American's level, breaking back for 2-all with a searing backhand winner. Gauff then had to dig out of a marathon 16-point service game at 2-3, saving three break points before finally escaping with a 115mph ace down the middle to complete the hold for 3-all. "I knew if I could hold that game, I felt confident breaking the next game," Gauff said.
That proved prescient. Sonmez double-faulted twice in the next game to surrender the critical break, before Gauff consolidated for 5-3 and shortly after held at love to close the show after 1hr 20min.
#hold #title
1 hr. ago
The sight of a forlorn Coco Gauff hitting serves in the rain on the US Open practice courts became the defining image of her struggles last year.
The serving yips were undermining the two-time major champion's talent. Staying out in the persistent drizzle was a sign of how desperate she had become to iron out the major flaw in her game.
Twelve months on, the 22-year-old American has returned to the US Open with a rejuvenated service game - and it was the bedrock of her 6-3 6-4 win over Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez in the New York first round on Tuesday.
Gauff starting with a swift hold to love set the tone for a dominant first set, then used her opening shot to get her out of trouble when Sonmez threatened to go a break up in the second set.
"Now it's like I can look back a year on and think, 'Oh, wow, it's a big difference'," said Gauff, who is seeded fourth at Flushing Meadows this year.
#sonmez #major
The serving yips were undermining the two-time major champion's talent. Staying out in the persistent drizzle was a sign of how desperate she had become to iron out the major flaw in her game.
Twelve months on, the 22-year-old American has returned to the US Open with a rejuvenated service game - and it was the bedrock of her 6-3 6-4 win over Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez in the New York first round on Tuesday.
Gauff starting with a swift hold to love set the tone for a dominant first set, then used her opening shot to get her out of trouble when Sonmez threatened to go a break up in the second set.
"Now it's like I can look back a year on and think, 'Oh, wow, it's a big difference'," said Gauff, who is seeded fourth at Flushing Meadows this year.
#sonmez #major
2 hours ago
Coco Gauff opened her 2026 US Open campaign with a solid straight-set win over Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez that showcased her improved serve.
The fourth-seeded Gauff, who won the New York Grand Slam in 2023, was broken only once to top the 53rd-ranked Sonmez 6-3, 6-4 in a hard-hitting battle fought mostly from the baseline.
"It's incredible to be back on this court," an exuberant Gauff told the on-court interviewer. "I love playing in this atmosphere."
Gauff, whose service woes last year prompted a dramatic coaching change days before the tournament and contributed to a fourth round exit, came into Flushing Meadows this time feeling much better about the stroke, having won the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati this month.
Gauff said she had worked make the toss more consistent under the tutelage of biomechanics expert Gavin Macmillan, who previously helped Aryna Sabalenka retool her serve, improvements that helped the Belarussian rise to number one.
#serve
The fourth-seeded Gauff, who won the New York Grand Slam in 2023, was broken only once to top the 53rd-ranked Sonmez 6-3, 6-4 in a hard-hitting battle fought mostly from the baseline.
"It's incredible to be back on this court," an exuberant Gauff told the on-court interviewer. "I love playing in this atmosphere."
Gauff, whose service woes last year prompted a dramatic coaching change days before the tournament and contributed to a fourth round exit, came into Flushing Meadows this time feeling much better about the stroke, having won the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati this month.
Gauff said she had worked make the toss more consistent under the tutelage of biomechanics expert Gavin Macmillan, who previously helped Aryna Sabalenka retool her serve, improvements that helped the Belarussian rise to number one.
#serve
3 hours ago
NEW YORK — It has largely been forgotten to history, but the last time Coco Gauff came in as the US Open favorite, her first-round match turned into an anxiety check. Down a set to Laura Siegemund, whose tricky strokes and gamesmanship got under Gauff's skin, it forced her to dig deep right away en route to her first major ***** le three years ago.
There was a moment in Gauff's 2026 debut Tuesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium when things could have taken a similar course. After cruising through the first set and quickly breaking to start the second against, Gauff's opponent Zeynep Sonmez started redlining.
In tennis parlance, redlining is essentially when an underdog decides they have nothing to lose, starts taking big risks and gets into a groove where every shot seems to go in. In a blink, Gauff went from cruising to a quick victory to down 2-3 and facing a break point. With Sonmez taking huge cuts at the ball and landing some heavy punches, it looked like things might get complicated.
But Gauff in 2026 is not as easily flustered under the weight of heavy expectations as she was at age 19. Instead, Gauff can now turn matches like this into just another day at the office, raising her game on cue to wrap up a 6-3, 6-4 win in 80 minutes.
Though Gauff's form was uneven in the first part of the tennis season, there's a reason why she looks like a good bet to win her second US Open this year. Since the start of Wimbledon, Gauff is 16-2 and won the Cincinnati ***** le in dominating fashion — similar to the run of form she found in 2023 when she rode the wave all the way to her first Slam.
#first #title #things
There was a moment in Gauff's 2026 debut Tuesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium when things could have taken a similar course. After cruising through the first set and quickly breaking to start the second against, Gauff's opponent Zeynep Sonmez started redlining.
In tennis parlance, redlining is essentially when an underdog decides they have nothing to lose, starts taking big risks and gets into a groove where every shot seems to go in. In a blink, Gauff went from cruising to a quick victory to down 2-3 and facing a break point. With Sonmez taking huge cuts at the ball and landing some heavy punches, it looked like things might get complicated.
But Gauff in 2026 is not as easily flustered under the weight of heavy expectations as she was at age 19. Instead, Gauff can now turn matches like this into just another day at the office, raising her game on cue to wrap up a 6-3, 6-4 win in 80 minutes.
Though Gauff's form was uneven in the first part of the tennis season, there's a reason why she looks like a good bet to win her second US Open this year. Since the start of Wimbledon, Gauff is 16-2 and won the Cincinnati ***** le in dominating fashion — similar to the run of form she found in 2023 when she rode the wave all the way to her first Slam.
#first #title #things
4 hours ago
With a fresh Cincinnati Open **** le in her pocket and a path to the World No. 1 ranking in her sights, Coco Gauff looked very much the part Tuesday night in her opening-round match at the US Open.
On the final scheduled day of first-round play at Flushing Meadows, Gauff took on Türkiye's Zeynep Sönmez in prime time. She started her tournament with an ace that set the tone for an efficient 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 control of the match.
Gauff broke Sönmez to take a 4-2 lead and seize control of the first set. She then broke Sönmez's opening serve of the second for a chance at a runaway win.
But Sönmez broke back to get back on serve and 2-2 and keep pressure on Gauff. Sönmez won three straight games and had multiple break-points to win a fourth. But Gauff battled back to remain on serve at 3-3
#broke #back #round
On the final scheduled day of first-round play at Flushing Meadows, Gauff took on Türkiye's Zeynep Sönmez in prime time. She started her tournament with an ace that set the tone for an efficient 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 control of the match.
Gauff broke Sönmez to take a 4-2 lead and seize control of the first set. She then broke Sönmez's opening serve of the second for a chance at a runaway win.
But Sönmez broke back to get back on serve and 2-2 and keep pressure on Gauff. Sönmez won three straight games and had multiple break-points to win a fourth. But Gauff battled back to remain on serve at 3-3
#broke #back #round
12 hours ago
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Coco Gauff is looking to win her second U.S. Open championship this year — her first came in 2023, but since then, Aryna Sabalenka has dominated the hardcourt tennis tournament, winning back-to-back in 2024 and 2025. Gauff will begin her latest campaign for a ****** le tonight when she faces Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET. It will air on ESPN and stream on the ESPN Unlimited app.
Here's everything you need to know to watch Tuesday's Gauff vs. Sonmez match at the 2026 U.S. Open tennis tournament, plus, check out the full TV schedule, where to stream matches without cable and more.
Date: September 1, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. ET
#sonmez
Coco Gauff is looking to win her second U.S. Open championship this year — her first came in 2023, but since then, Aryna Sabalenka has dominated the hardcourt tennis tournament, winning back-to-back in 2024 and 2025. Gauff will begin her latest campaign for a ****** le tonight when she faces Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET. It will air on ESPN and stream on the ESPN Unlimited app.
Here's everything you need to know to watch Tuesday's Gauff vs. Sonmez match at the 2026 U.S. Open tennis tournament, plus, check out the full TV schedule, where to stream matches without cable and more.
Date: September 1, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. ET
#sonmez
12 hours ago
Rain delayed the start play on the outside courts on Wednesday at the US Open, where top-seeded Alexander Zverev and women's fourth seed Coco Gauff headlined first-round action.
The weather won't be a factor for Zverev and Gauff, who are scheduled to play the night session on the covered Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Germany's Zverev, who followed up his maiden Grand Slam **** le with a runner-up finish to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, will take on 89th-ranked Italian Lorenzo Sonego while two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff faces Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez.
Play started on Ashe with former Australian Open champion Madison Keys taking on Alina Korneeva.
Under the roof on Louis Armstrong fifth-seeded French Open men's finalist Flavio Cobolli took on Argentine Francisco Comesana and women's fifth seed Mirra Andreeva -- the Roland Garros champion -- faced Indonesia's Janice Tjen.
#zverev #gauff #grand #seeded
The weather won't be a factor for Zverev and Gauff, who are scheduled to play the night session on the covered Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Germany's Zverev, who followed up his maiden Grand Slam **** le with a runner-up finish to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, will take on 89th-ranked Italian Lorenzo Sonego while two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff faces Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez.
Play started on Ashe with former Australian Open champion Madison Keys taking on Alina Korneeva.
Under the roof on Louis Armstrong fifth-seeded French Open men's finalist Flavio Cobolli took on Argentine Francisco Comesana and women's fifth seed Mirra Andreeva -- the Roland Garros champion -- faced Indonesia's Janice Tjen.
#zverev #gauff #grand #seeded
