Gauff defends US Open title with straight-sets win as Williams sisters face Joint

Coco Gauff has begun her defence of the US Open title with a straight-sets victory over Zeynep Sonmez, maintaining her status as the home favourite at Flushing Meadows. The 22-year-old American, who arrived fresh from winning the Cincinnati Open, defeated the world No 53 in a match that saw her reassert control after a brief period of pressure in the second set.

Gauff, who is chasing a third Grand Slam title following her breakthrough triumph in New York in 2023, took the first set in just over half an hour. Although Sonmez produced impressive winners, including a backhand that drew applause from the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Gauff held serve to level the second set before breaking to close out the contest comfortably.

The fourth seed will face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second round. Gauff noted that she was able to settle down after trailing 3-2, stating that she likes to challenge her opponents to keep up the level throughout the match.

In the women's doubles draw, Serena and Venus Williams are set to face the No 14-seeded team of Maya Joint and Hao-Ching Chan. The pairing marks a significant reunion for the sisters, who last played together at a Grand Slam in New York in 2022. Their previous attempt to compete together at Wimbledon this summer was derailed when Serena sustained a knee injury during her singles match against Joint.

Serena, 44, returned to competition this year after a four-year hiatus, while Venus, 46, continues her long career. The sisters also teamed up at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, where they lost in the first round to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns.

The first round of the women's doubles tournament is scheduled to begin on Thursday. The draw presents a particular dynamic for Serena, who is set to face the 20-year-old Australian player who defeated her in singles at Wimbledon earlier this year.