Coco Gauff’s first-round foe was spectacular, but still made to look pedestrian.
That’s how sharp Gauff was in a 6-3, 6-4 straight-sets win over Zeynep Sonmez on Tuesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Gauff came out serving huge right from the start, hitting aces. When her Turkish foe adjusted and raised her level, Gauff responded by raising her own.
In short, it was close to a perfect U.S. Open start for Gauff.
“Actually, I wasn’t that nervous today, which was a shock. When I walked back out on this court, I was trying to hold back a smile,” Gauff said in an on-court TV interview. “It’s incredible to be back out on this court, thank you, guys. It’s never something I take for granted, and I love playing in this atmosphere.”
Gauff opened up the night on Arthur Ashe Stadium reaching 125 mph on her serve, and drilled five aces.
Considering how she served here last year, and all of the troubles that Achilles heel posed, it was an auspicious performance.
Sonmez played well, adjusting and showing good instincts coming forward.
She was athletic, quick and pushed Gauff in the second set.
But Gauff’s nerves held, now on to the second round against either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa.
“I think I was just trying not to panic,” Gauff said. “[Sonmez] started coming to the net and playing great tennis.
“I know that I can raise my level if I need to, and 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.
“That 3-2 game was really important, and once I got through that, I was fine, I think.”
