World No. 4 Coco Gauff opened her 2026 U.S. Open campaign on Tuesday in New York, defeating Zeynep Sönmez 6-3, 6-4. The victory serves as a high-profile validation of Gauff’s year-long technical reconstruction of her serve and forehand, following a period of significant struggle with the “yips” in previous tournaments.
Gauff entered the match as the No. 4 seed, looking to build on a summer of dominance that included a title at the Cincinnati Open. While her opponent from Turkey, Sönmez, managed several highlight plays—including a deep corner shot hit on the run and a high-spin volley—Gauff maintained control, particularly after regaining her footing midway through the second set.
The win moves Gauff into a second-round matchup against either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa.
The Statistical Shift in Gauff’s Serve
For the past year, Gauff’s serve was a liability. The struggle peaked two years ago when she double-faulted 19 times in a single fourth-round match against Emma Navarro. According to reporting from The Athletic, Gauff spent the last 12 months tinkering with her serve and forehand in public, even practicing between sets and during medical timeouts at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The data from 2026 indicates a significant correction in her efficiency. Gauff’s serving metrics show a marked improvement over 2025:
| Metric | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Average Double Faults per Match | 9 | 4 |
| First Serve Points Won | 67 percent | 75 percent |
| Second Serve Points Won | 37 percent | 52 percent |
The most critical gain is the jump in second-serve points won. Gauff noted the difference during a pre-tournament news conference, stating that she felt good to finally enter a tournament feeling confident in that shot.
Dominance Over Pegula and the Hard-Court Run
Gauff has won four of her last five matches against Jessica Pegula, including a straight-sets victory in the Cincinnati Open final where Gauff surged to a 5-0 lead in roughly 25 minutes. Pegula acknowledged this shift, noting that Gauff is moving very well right now and becomes really good
when the serve is clicking.
Since Wimbledon, Gauff has played 10 matches on North American hard courts, only two of which required a third set. This contrasts sharply with her performances at the Miami Open, the Italian Open, and Wimbledon, where the vast majority of her matches went the distance.
Rain Delays and First-Round Drama in New York
While Gauff’s start was smooth, the tournament’s early stages were disrupted by showers that began Monday night. Play was restricted to the retractable roofs of Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums, pushing several first-round matches into Wednesday. Outdoor play only resumed Tuesday afternoon, allowing No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina to defeat Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2.
- Maria Sakkari: The No. 32 seed overcame a 6-2, 4-0 deficit to defeat Robin Montgomery 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
- Flavio Cobolli: The No. 5 seed rallied from two sets down to beat Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in a match lasting over four hours.
- Gael Monfils: The Frenchman extended his Grand Slam career with a victory on his 40th birthday.
- Madison Keys: The 2017 runner-up beat Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4.
The men’s draw continues to see instability, with No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic and No. 10 Arthur Fils already eliminated, and Jannik Sinner absent due to a right knee injury.
The Stakes for a Second Title
Having won the 2023 U.S. Open to become the first American teenager to do so since Serena Williams in 1999, Gauff now carries the burden of being the world’s highest-paid female athlete and a massive crowd favorite.
Last year, she struggled through a rocky opener before being eliminated in the fourth round by Naomi Osaka. This year, the confidence she gained in Cincinnati has changed her mental approach to the game.
Last year I literally was like I hope I make it in. It’s such a big difference knowing almost every serve I’m trying to basically hit 110, 115, 120mph if I can. Coco Gauff
