Coco Gauff, the home favorite, advanced to the second round of the US Open with a straight-sets victory over Turkiye’s Zeynep Sonmez on Tuesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The 22-year-old American, who recently captured the Cincinnati Open title, won 6-3, 6-4 in a match played under the stadium’s lights and closed roof, demonstrating control throughout her campaign opener.

Gauff, seeking her third Grand Slam title following her breakthrough win at the US Open in 2023, secured the only service break of the first set to close it within approximately 30 minutes. Sonmez, ranked 53rd in the world and 24 years old, displayed strong moments of skill, including a particularly impressive backhand that earned applause from both the crowd and Gauff.

The second set saw Sonmez momentarily regain footing, breaking Gauff’s serve early to level the score at 2-2 and testing the American with powerful groundstrokes and net approaches. Facing three break points at 2-3, Gauff held her serve to even the set before breaking Sonmez again to take a 4-3 lead. She then pulled away to seal the match as Sonmez struggled to maintain the earlier intensity.

“I wasn’t that nervous today, which was a shock,” Gauff said post-match. She added that she maintains confidence in her ability to raise her performance level when challenged, stating, “I like to challenge my opponent to keep up that level the whole match, and if they do, I clap my hands and walk off the court with my head held high. But I was able to settle down.”

Gauff has reached at least the fourth round in each of the last four US Open tournaments and is scheduled to face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the next round.

In other first-round action, Russia’s Mirra Andreeva advanced comfortably with a 6-2, 6-2 win over unseeded Indonesian Janice Tjen. American Madison Keys also moved through after defeating Russian Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4 in a match that marked her return to strong form following a first-round exit last year.

Meanwhile, Filipino rising star Alexandra Eala impressed in front of a supportive crowd, dispatching American Mary Stoiana 6-1, 6-2. Eala’s fanbase, waving Filipino flags and donning supportive attire, celebrated her performance enthusiastically, capturing highlights on phones and engaging with loved ones during the match.