Coco Gauff returned to the venue of her breakthrough grand slam championship on a rain-soaked Tuesday evening and navigated the opening obstacle in her pursuit of a second US Open title within four years, defeating Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez 6-3, 6-4 beneath the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The American fourth seed, arriving with considerable momentum and heightened expectations, demonstrated the steady improvement in her serving that has become the foundation of her resurgent form.
The 22-year-old competitor entered the tournament fresh from capturing the Cincinnati title and having displayed encouraging progress with a serve that has increasingly become a dependable element of her arsenal. With both a third major championship and the world No 1 ranking now within realistic reach, Gauff faces a fortnight where the stakes extend well beyond the trophy itself.
How did Gauff control the opening set?
The American established command early, striking two aces in her opening service game to love before a responsive crowd. The 54th-ranked Sonmez competed effectively in the baseline rallies throughout the first five games, but Gauff seized the initiative in the sixth game, breaking her opponent without surrendering a point. After steadying herself through an uneven service game to reach 5-2, Gauff appeared positioned to run away with the set. Sonmez held to extend matters, but Gauff closed out the opening set after 33 minutes with a composed service hold as the heavy rainfall drumming against the roof created a resonant backdrop.
What made the second set more challenging?
The second set presented considerably greater resistance. Gauff broke immediately and seemed poised to pull clear, yet Sonmez responded by attacking the net and capitalizing on a sudden decline in the American's play, breaking back to level at 2-all with a penetrating backhand winner. The pivotal moment arrived at 2-3 when Gauff faced a grueling 16-point service game in which she saved three break points before escaping with a 115mph ace down the middle to hold for 3-all.
I knew if I could hold that game, I felt confident breaking the next game,Gauff reflected afterward.
Her assessment proved accurate. Sonmez double-faulted twice in the subsequent game to surrender the critical break, allowing Gauff to consolidate for 5-3 and then hold at love to conclude the match after 1 hour and 20 minutes.
How has Gauff's serve transformation reshaped her game?
Gauff has long been regarded as among the finest defensive players on the women's circuit, yet her serve has functioned as the barometer of her overall performance. When her first delivery falters, the consequences ripple through her groundstrokes. When she maintains a high percentage of first serves, the remainder of her game typically flourishes. The past 12 months have proven particularly consequential in this regard. Gauff arrived at last year's US Open with her serve struggling before ultimately falling in the fourth round.
This year she returned with concrete evidence that her technical adjustments were yielding results. She reached the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time, served with considerably greater effectiveness in Canada, and subsequently claimed the Cincinnati championship. Over recent months, she has been producing the most polished tennis of her professional career.
Gauff attributed the transformation to a gradual process centered on a more consistent ball toss and refined adjustments to her wrist mechanics.
I don't even realize how much it looks different until someone posted a video of me serving even in Miami Open this year. My serve looks different now.she explained. The technical modifications have been accompanied by a corresponding psychological shift in her approach to service games.
Tuesday's performance provided another encouraging indicator of her progress. Gauff landed 62 percent of her first serves, with her fastest delivery reaching 125 miles per hour, struck five aces against only three double faults, and won 71 percent of her first-serve points. Equally significant was her performance when her first serve missed: she won nearly two-thirds of the points behind her second serve, losing her serve only once throughout the entire evening. This newfound stability has liberated Gauff to employ the aggressive first-strike tennis that remained largely inaccessible to her a year ago.
It does take a lot to break me,Gauff declared, a striking statement from a player whose service games had become such fraught ordeals during her lowest points.
What are the broader implications for Gauff's tournament?
The victory propels Gauff into the second round against either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa, whose first-round match was suspended with Badosa leading 6-1, 5-4 after rain halted play on the outer courts. According to reports from the opening day, the women's singles second round is scheduled for September 2-3, 2026.
The stakes surrounding Gauff's fortnight extend considerably beyond a single match. She is one of four women who can depart Flushing Meadows atop the WTA rankings, alongside Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Jessica Pegula. The equation for Gauff is straightforward: she must win the US Open while Rybakina must fall before the semi-finals.
All of this adds another dimension of expectation at the tournament where Gauff acknowledges she experiences it most acutely. Despite her familiarity with America's national championship, she has spoken this week about attempting to experience the US Open differently: less preoccupied with the outcome and more attentive to savoring an occasion that once left her feeling relief rather than pride, even following victories.
Gauff admitted she experienced nervousness in the tunnel before stepping onto Ashe, only for the sensation to dissipate completely during the warm-up.
I don't know, it was just a weird feeling today that I felt pretty calm. I don't know what put my mind at ease. I think just maybe the confidence I had this week and knowing, like, the opponent would have to play a really high level and me a really low level maybe for it to not go my way.she said. According to post-match commentary, Gauff indicated she was "not that nervous today" and was "holding back a smile" when she returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Key Facts
- Gauff defeated Sonmez 6-3, 6-4 in her opening match on September 1, 2026, at the US Open
- The American won 71 percent of her first-serve points and landed 62 percent of her first serves, with a top speed of 125 miles per hour
- Gauff is one of four players who can finish the tournament ranked world No 1, requiring both a championship victory and Elena Rybakina's elimination before the semi-finals
- Her next opponent will be either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second round scheduled for September 2-3, 2026
- The serve overhaul that began over the past year has coincided with Gauff reaching her first Wimbledon semi-final and winning the Cincinnati championship
