By Janina Nuno Rios
NEW YORK, Sept 1 (Reuters) – Home favourite Coco Gauff began her campaign for a second U.S. Open crown with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old arrived fresh from winning the Cincinnati Open and is chasing a third Grand Slam title after her breakthrough triumph in New York in 2023.
“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 was in control under the lights and closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium, taking the only break of serve in the first set and wrapping up the opener in just over half an hour.
World number 53 Sonmez showed flashes of her talent and produced a string of impressive winners, including a blistering backhand that drew applause from the crowd and even Gauff herself.
Sonmez, 24, looked to have settled in the second set, breaking back immediately after Gauff opened with a break and began testing the American with deep groundstrokes and forays to the net.
Gauff came under pressure trailing 3-2 but fought off three break points to hold and level the set before breaking Sonmez to reassert control at 4-3.
The American pulled away from there as Sonmez struggled to sustain the level that had briefly unsettled the fourth seed, leaving Gauff to close out another comfortable win.
“I know that I can raise my level if I need to,” Gauff said.
“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, who has reached the fourth round or better at the U.S. Open in each of the last four years, will face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second round.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in New York; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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