Coco Gauff Begins U.S. Open Title Defense with Dominant First-Round Victory

American tennis player Coco Gauff successfully commenced her title defense at the U.S. Open with a commanding victory, defeating France’s Varvara Gracheva with a score of 6-2, 6-0. The match, held on Monday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, concluded in just 66 minutes.

In the match, Gauff showcased her skill by firing 10 aces and saving eight break points against the 66th-ranked Gracheva. Following her impressive performance, Gauff remarked, “It is definitely a lot of pressure this tournament but I’m just enjoying it.”

Gauff, who made history last year by becoming the first American woman to win the U.S. Open title since Serena Williams in 1999, expressed a desire to replicate the positive experience. “Last year was incredible, so I’m just bringing those vibes and whatever happens, happens,” she stated.

Despite a challenging lead-up to the tournament, where she experienced early exits in both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati, the 20-year-old athlete appeared eager to move past those setbacks. “The last few weeks have been a little bit tough,” Gauff commented. “But today was I think the best tennis I’ve played in a while,” she added.

In the upcoming second round, Gauff is set to face German veteran Tatjana Maria. The two players have met once previously, with Gauff winning in straight sets during the Auckland tournament in 2023.

According to the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), Coco Gauff has accumulated 15 main-draw match wins at the U.S. Open, making her the youngest woman to achieve this since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

This year, Gauff reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and the fourth round at Wimbledon.

In other matches from the women’s draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka secured a win over Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon with a score of 6-3, 6-3 in her first round. Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, aims to become the first woman to clinch both hardcourt majors in the same year since Angelique Kerber in 2016.

Additionally, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, seeded eighth, advanced to the second round with a 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory against Spanish qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera. Furthermore, China’s Zheng Qinwen, seeded seventh and the gold medalist in the Paris Olympics, made a comeback after losing the first set to defeat Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in a two-hour and 20-minute match.