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Coco Gauff defeats Zeynep Sonmez in US Open first round behind improved serve

The fourth-seeded American won in straight sets, crediting technical adjustments to her service game following last year's struggles.

The short version

  • Fourth seed Coco Gauff defeated Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez 6-3 6-4 in the first round of the US Open in New York.
  • Gauff showcased an upgraded serve developed with biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, winning 93% of first-serve points landed in the opening set.
  • Gauff advances to the second round, where she will face either Paula Badosa or Daria Kasatkina.

Key facts

  • Coco Gauff beat Zeynep Sonmez 6-3 6-4 on Tuesday to advance to the US Open second round.[BBC News]
  • Gauff won 93% of the points when her first serve landed in the first set, hitting serves ranging between 112mph and 115mph.[BBC News]
  • Gauff hired biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan a year earlier to adjust her toss, wrist posture, and serving mechanics after battling double faults.[BBC News]
  • Gauff is set to face either Paula Badosa of Spain or Daria Kasatkina of Australia in the next round.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Gauff's second-round opponent remains unconfirmed pending the result of the match between Paula Badosa and Daria Kasatkina.[BBC News]

Sources