Gauff Dominates in US Open Debut as Williams Sisters Target Doubles Glory

Coco Gauff began her US Open campaign with a commanding straight-sets victory over Zeynep Sonmez, setting the stage for a highly anticipated doubles match between Serena and Venus Williams against Maya Joint and Chan Hao-Ching.

The home favorite, fresh off her Cincinnati Open triumph, is pursuing a third Grand Slam title following her breakthrough win in New York in 2023. Having reached the fourth round or better in each of the past four years, Gauff will next face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second round.

“I wasn’t that nervous today, which was a shock,” Gauff said on court. “When I walked back out on this court, I was trying to hold back a smile.”

Gauff established early control by taking the only break of serve in the first set, wrapping up the opener in just over half an hour. World No. 53 Sonmez displayed flashes of talent with several impressive winners, including a powerful backhand that drew applause from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd and even Gauff herself.

Sonmez, 24, settled into the second set, trading breaks while testing the American with deep groundstrokes and net approaches. Gauff faced pressure trailing 3-2 but successfully defended three break points to hold and level the set before breaking Sonmez to regain control at 4-3. The 22-year-old pulled away from there as Sonmez struggled to maintain the level that had briefly unsettled the fourth seed.

“I know that I can raise my level if I need to,” said Gauff. “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.”

Meanwhile, Serena and Venus Williams will compete together in women’s doubles against the team of Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint, who previously defeated Serena at Wimbledon this summer. The American pair, who won the US Open doubles title in 1999 and 2009, last played together at a Grand Slam in New York in 2022, falling in the first round. The sisters had planned to reunite at Wimbledon following Serena’s return to competition during the grass-court season in June, but she withdrew after suffering a knee injury in her first-round singles match against Joint.

Serena, 44, returned this year after four years away from the tour and lost to Joint, a 20-year-old from Australia. She injured her knee in that match and had to withdraw from her planned doubles match at Wimbledon with Venus, 46.

The teamed up at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, where they lost in the first round to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. Joint and Chan are the No. 14-seeded team. The first round of the women’s doubles tournament begins Thursday.

Second seed Elena Rybakina also advanced after defeating teenage American wild card Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2. Frodin once portrayed Serena Williams in the tennis scenes during the Oscar-winning film “King Richard,” which chronicles the lives of Serena and her sister Venus. She said: “I actually have not met her yet. But hopefully I can get the chance soon to get the opportunity to meet her. I saw that Will Smith reposted one of my posts, so that was pretty cool and a cool experience.”

In the men’s draw, fifth seed Flavio Cobolli required five sets to overcome Argentinian Francisco Comesana, while ninth seed Taylor Fritz—one of the big hopes for home success in New York this year—defeated fellow American Darwin Blanch in three sets. Frenchman Gael Monfils, who retires at the end of the year, celebrated his 40th birthday in style with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 victory over Adolfo Alvarez.

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