Gauff opens quest for a second US Open title with a win

NEW YORK — Even Coco Gauff had to applaud a couple of times when her opponent hit some nifty shots.

There was the ball that Zeynep Sonmez tracked down deep in the corner and hit down the line on the run. Then there was a volley with unusual spin that just cleared the net for another point.

Many of the rest of the highlights belonged to Gauff.

The No 4 seed opened her quest for a second US Open title on Tuesday by beating Sonmez 6-3, 6-4, regaining control midway through the second set after her opponent from Turkiye picked up her play.

"I know that I can raise my level if I need to do, and I like to challenge my opponent to let them keep up the level the whole match," Gauff said. "And if they do, I clap my hands and I walk off court with my head held high."

Instead, she's walking into a second-round match against either Paula Badosa or Daria Kasatkina.

Gauff was battling serving woes when she arrived in Flushing Meadows last year and began working with a new coach on the eve of the tournament. There wasn't time to fix her problems and Gauff had to battle through a rocky opener before getting easily ousted by Naomi Osaka in the fourth round.

Gauff returned this year with the confidence and momentum of a serious contender, winning the title in Cincinnati after semifinal runs at Wimbledon and Toronto.

She also won the hard-court tournament in Cincinnati in 2023 before going on to become the first American teenager to win the US Open title since Serena Williams in 1999, topping Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Alex Eala and Gael Monfils kept their fans happy, despite the gloomy weather forecast.

On a rainy day in New York, nothing could dampen the spirits inside Louis Armstrong Stadium.

First, Monfils won on his 40th birthday to extend his Grand Slam career, with fans singing happy birthday to the Frenchman afterward. No 17 Eala, playing in front of her many Filipino fans, cruised past Mary Stoiana of the United States, 6-1, 6-2.

Flavio Cobolli rallied from two sets down to avoid an early upset on the men's side of the draw, and his wasn't even the most dramatic comeback on Tuesday.

Maria Sakkari fell behind 6-2, 4-0 once she was finally able to get on the court after the rain stopped, then the No 32 seed rallied to edge Robin Montgomery 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.

"Just kept telling myself that everything is possible and to just try and get myself in a good place mentally and to be a little bit more positive, try to make more balls and get myself into the match," said Sakkari, who reached the US Open and Wimbledon semifinals in 2021.

"Because, I mean, everyone's very good in tennis nowadays, but, specifically, that girl I played today doesn't have the experience that I do. So I just told myself, 'let's try and hang in there, try and make more balls,' and it worked."

Cobolli, the No 5 seed and French Open runner-up, beat Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, finishing his match that lasted four hours and 12 minutes, not long after some sun had broken through the clouds and allowed play to start on all the outside courts.

Cobolli made his first career twoset comeback to avoid joining No 4 seed Novak Djokovic and No 10 Arthur Fils in making a shock early exit in a men's draw that is already missing top-ranked Jannik Sinner.

Cobolli's fellow Italian was unable to play in the tournament because of a right knee injury.

Cobolli said he took a bathroom break after the second set and decided to change everything he was wearing.

"In Grand Slams it's never done. You have to fight until the last point," Cobolli said.

French Open champion Mirra Andreeva and 2024 US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz had smooth sailing. Fritz, the No 9 seed, rolled to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory over 18-year-old fellow American Darwin Blanch. Andreeva beat Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2.

For all the players, though, the rain remained their toughest opponent.

Wet weather again restricted play to two courts and meaning some first-round matches won't be completed before Wednesday.

Madison Keys, the No 22 seed, beat 19-year-old Alina Korneeva 7-5,6-4 in the leadoff match in Ashe. The 2017 US Open runner-up was knocked out in the first round last year in Flushing Meadows.

"It's always tough playing someone young and up and coming, and they're going after their shots," Keys said.

"And it's so hard to play a first round of a Grand Slam, so nervous and just wanting to do so well. So, I'm really happy I was able to kind of fight through that and win today."

Play finally began outdoors in the middle of the afternoon, when No 2 seed Elena Rybakina beat Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2. Frodin, a 17-year-old from California, was the body double for actor Demi Singleton, who played Serena Williams, in the 2021 film King Richard.

No 12 seed Belinda Bencic, who teamed with Cobolli to reach the mixed doubles final, lost to Yulia Putintseva in three sets.

AP