Coco Gauff kicked off her US Open quest with a convincing straight‑sets victory over Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez, while the legendary Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, are slated to meet Maya Joint and Chan Hao‑Ching after Tuesday's draw. Fresh from her triumph at the Cincinnati Open, the home favorite Gauff is eyeing a third Grand Slam crown following her breakthrough win in New York last year. The 22‑year‑old American has advanced to at least the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for four consecutive editions, and she will now face either Russia's Daria Kasatkina or Spain's Paula Badosa in round two. "I wasn't that nervous today, which was a shock," Gauff told the crowd after her win.
"When I walked back out on this court, I was trying to hold back a smile." She established dominance early, breaking Sonmez's serve once in the opening set and sealing the set in just over thirty minutes. World No. 53 Sonmez displayed flashes of brilliance, producing a series of powerful winners, including a blistering backhand that drew applause from the Arthur Ashe Stadium audience and even earned a nod from Gauff herself.
In the second set Sonmez settled in, exchanging breaks with the American and testing her with deep groundstrokes and occasional net approaches. Gauff, however, weathered a brief dip when she fell behind 3‑2, fending off three break points to hold serve and level the set.
She then broke Sonmez again to regain the lead at 4‑3 and ultimately pulled away, as Sonmez could not sustain the level that had briefly unsettled the fourth seed. The match concluded with Gauff cruising to a comfortable win.
"I know that I can raise my level if I need to," Gauff said post‑match. "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." Her composure and tactical discipline were evident throughout, suggesting she is well‑positioned to make a deep run at the tournament. Meanwhile, the Williams sisters will reunite in the women's doubles draw, taking on the No.
14‑seeded pair of Hao‑Ching Chan and Australia's Maya Joint. The duo previously captured the US Open doubles titles in 1999 and 2009, but their last Grand Slam partnership in New York ended with a first‑round loss in 2022. They had hoped to team up again at Wimbledon after Serena's return to competition on grass in June, but Serena withdrew after sustaining a knee injury in her opening‑round singles match against Joint. Serena, now 44, made her comeback this year after a four‑year hiatus but fell to Joint, a 20‑year‑old Australian, in a singles contest that left her with a knee issue, forcing her to pull out of the planned doubles match at the All England Club.
The sisters also paired at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, where they were upset in the first round by Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. Joint and Chan will open the women's doubles competition on Thursday, aiming to build on their strong showing. In the singles draw, Alexander Zverev narrowly escaped becoming the first top‑seeded man to lose his opening Grand Slam match since 2003.
The German, who claimed his maiden major at the French Open and was runner‑up at Wimbledon to Jannik Sinner before Sinner withdrew with a knee injury, fought back from a precarious position to defeat Italy's Lorenzo Sonego 6‑4, 3‑6, 6‑7(7), 7‑5, 6‑4. The marathon match stretched nearly five hours, with Zverev finally breaking Sonego's serve late in the fourth set to force a decisive fifth set, which he claimed after a grueling final set.
Historically, top seeds have rarely stumbled early at the US Open; the last such upset occurred when Stefan Edberg fell to Alexander Volkov in 1990. Zverev's victory thus preserved the rarity of a No. 1 seed exiting in round one. Other notable first‑round results included fifth‑seed Flavio Cobolli enduring a five‑set battle to overcome Argentina's Francisco Comesana, and ninth‑seed Taylor Fritz, a leading American hopeful, dispatching compatriot Darwin Blanch in straight sets.
French veteran Gaël Monfils, who has announced his retirement at season's end, celebrated his 40th birthday with a dominant 2‑6, 6‑2, 6‑1, 6‑0 win over Spain's Adolfo Álvarez. Fans can follow the US Open live on Sky Sports starting August 30, or stream matches contract‑free via NOW and the Sky Sports app. The tournament also offers a range of highlights, scores, and video clips for those who prefer on‑demand viewing.
Additionally, the upcoming Laver Cup at London's O2 Arena from September 25‑27 will be broadcast on Sky Sports, providing more top‑level tennis action for enthusiasts.