Gauff makes storming start as Zverev avoids major upset

Coco Gauff makes winning start with Williams sisters set to begin US Open women's doubles against team with Maya Joint, who beat Serena in singles at Wimbledon; watch the US Open live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app

Coco Gauff opened her US Open campaign with a straight-sets win over Zeynep Sonmez, while two-time women's doubles champions Serena and Venus Williams are set to face Maya Joint and Chan Hao-Ching after the draw on Tuesday.

Home favourite Gauff arrived ‌fresh from winning the Cincinnati Open and is chasing a third Grand Slam title ​after her breakthrough triumph in New York in 2023.

The American, who ​has reached the fourth round or better here ​in each of the last four years, will face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second ‌round.

"I wasn't that nervous today, which was a shock," Gauff said ​on court. "When I walked back out on this court, ‌I was trying to hold back a smile."

Gauff was in control early as she took the only break of serve in the first set and wrapping up the opener in just over ​half an hour.

World No 53 Sonmez showed flashes of ⁠her talent and produced a string ⁠of impressive winners, including a blistering backhand that drew applause from the crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium and even Gauff herself.

Sonmez, 24, ‌settled in the second set, trading breaks, and began testing the American with deep ‌groundstrokes and forays to the net.

Gauff came under pressure trailing 3-2 but fought off three break points to hold and level the set before breaking Sonmez to reassert control at 4-3.

The 22-year-old pulled away from there as Sonmez ⁠struggled to sustain the level that had briefly unsettled ​the fourth seed, leaving Gauff to close out a comfortable win.

"I know that I can raise my level if ​I need to," said Gauff. "I like to challenge my opponent to ⁠keep up that level the whole match, and if they do, I clap my hands and walk off the court with my head held high. But ⁠I was able to settle down."

Serena and Venus Williams will compete together in the women's doubles againstthe team of Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint - who beat Serena at Wimbledon this summer.

The Americans, who won the US Open doubles title in 1999 and 2009, last played together at a Grand Slam in New York in 2022, losing in the first round.

The sisters planned to reunite at Wimbledon following Serena's return to competition during the grass-court season in June, but she withdrew after suffering a knee injury in her first-round singles match against Maya Joint.