Gauff launches bid for second US Open title with win over Sonmez

Coco Gauff advanced to the next round of the US Open with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Zeynep Sonmez. The American fourth seed, previously champion in 2023, overcame nervousness to dominate the match. Gauff stated, "I was nervous in the tunnel, and then for some reason when the warm-up started, it went away." Sonmez, a Turkish outsider, provided a challenge in the second set but Gauff prevailed.

Meanwhile, second seed Elena Rybakina advanced after defeating Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2. Frodin, once part of a scene in the Oscar-winning film King Richard, expressed excitement about potentially meeting Rybakina in the future. Swiss player Belinda Bencic narrowly avoided default after hitting a ball into the crowd, but still lost to Kazakhstani Yulia Putintseva in three sets.

In men's singles, Flavio Cipolla needed five sets to defeat Francisco Comesana, while Taylor Fritz, one of the favorites for home success, also secured a win over Darwin Blanch. French tennis legend Gael Monfils, celebrating his 40th birthday, triumphed in four sets against Adolfo Alvarez. Alexander Zverev, despite a grueling five-set battle, narrowly avoided becoming the fourth top-seeded player to lose in the first round of a Grand Slam in the open era.