Coco Gauff booked her spot in the US Open second round after defeating Zeynep Sonmez on Tuesday evening.
Gauff triumphed 6-3, 6-4 inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium, much to the delight of the American fans in the crowd.
The 2023 champion picked up from where she left off in Cincinnati, and the American has now won seven consecutive matches on the WTA Tour.
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Gauff’s serve was particularly impressive against Sonmez: she struck five aces and won 71 per cent of her first-serve points.
After the contest, Gauff admitted to having a weird feeling heading into her first-round match.
Coco Gauff’s ‘weird feeling’ ahead of beating Zeynep Sonmez at the US Open
Gauff has been full of confidence of late, as demonstrated by her recent triumph in Cincinnati.
The American has been playing the best tennis of her career and has quickly emerged as a leading contender for the US Open title.
After defeating Sonmez on Tuesday, Gauff was asked if she had ever felt more confident heading into a Grand Slam.
“I think maybe French Open last year… actually that’s not true, because the first match I was nervous,” Gauff told reporters in New York during her post-match press conference.
“Probably? [the 2026 US Open] When you take into the factors of the level my opponent was playing and me, I think it was a high-quality first-round match.
“So yeah, I definitely think it’s one of the better ones.
Coco Gauff’s US Open singles record
- 2019: third round
- 2020: first round
- 2021: second round
- 2022: quarter-finals
- 2023: CHAMPION
- 2024: fourth round
- 2025: fourth round
“Obviously, score-wise, I’ve had some easier ones, but I just think that was me playing well and my opponent’s level not being as high.
“I think today, probably one of the better matches she’s played, especially in the middle of the second set.
“I don’t know, this match will be in the past, it doesn’t mean the next match I won’t feel nervous, because I probably will.
“But I don’t know, it was just a weird feeling today that I felt pretty calm.”
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Gauff will continue her US Open campaign later this week.
After beating Sonmez, the American is due to face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second round.
Badosa, the former world number two, famously defeated Gauff at the 2026 Berlin Grass Court Championships.
Badosa also has a 5-3 record against Gauff, dating back to the 2022 Qatar Open.
Gauff also has a losing record against Kasatkina.
The American has failed to win any of her previous three matches against the Australian.
Kasatkina last defeated Gauff at the 2022 WTA Finals, triumphing 7-6, 6-3 in the round robin.
Coco Gauff discusses the changes to her serve
Under the guidance of biomechanics coach Gavin MacMillan, Gauff’s serve has made a positive transformation in recent months.
The 22-year-old has developed greater consistency and efficiency on the shot, as evidenced by her reduced double-fault numbers and improved first-serve percentages.
“Maybe the consistency on the toss, not throwing it too far in front, so I’m not falling too much, and I think maybe not curling my wrist as much,” Gauff told reporters in Flushing Meadows when asked to identify the technical changes she has made to her serve.
| Statistical Area | Coco Gauff | Zeynep Sonmez |
| Aces | 5 | 0 |
| Double faults | 3 | 2 |
| First-serve % | 62 | 50 |
| First-serve points won [%] | 71 | 69 |
| Second-serve points won [%] | 64 | 38 |
“Honestly, it’s been a gradual change with the serve, and I don’t even realise how much it looks different until somebody puts a video of me serving in the Miami Open this year, and my serve looks different now.
“I didn’t really feel the difference that much, but I think it’s just the constant reminders that my coaches have been giving me, and slowly it’s adapting to maybe the way it should look.”
