Türkiye's Sonmez exits US Open after first-round loss to Gauff
13:15, 02/09/2026, WednesdayU: Update: 13:28, 02/09/2026, Wednesday
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File PhotoWorld No. 53 Zeynep Sonmez fell 6-3, 6-4 to fourth seed and defending champion Coco Gauff on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday, exiting the US Open at the first hurdle and failing to build on her second-round run from last year's tournament at the Flushing Meadows hard-court event, the season's final Grand Slam.
Zeynep Sonmez exited the US Open on Tuesday after falling to fourth seed Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-4 in the first round on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main court at the New York tournament. The world No. 53 from Türkiye was unable to build on her second-round appearance from last year's edition, bowing out to the 2023 champion on the sport's largest tennis stadium.
Wimbledon breakthrough
Sonmez, 24, made history at Wimbledon last July by becoming the first Turkish player to reach the third round at the All England Club and the first from Türkiye to advance that far at any Grand Slam since 1950. Her run at the London grass-court major ended a lengthy drought for Turkish tennis, though she was unable to repeat that form against Gauff under the lights in Flushing Meadows.
Title defense continues
Gauff moved into the second round with the comfortable victory, continuing her title defense at the season's final major tournament without dropping a set. The American fourth seed will await the winner of the match between Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova and Argentina's Julia Riera for a place in the third round.