Coco Gauff opens her highly anticipated 2026 US Open campaign against Türkiye’s Zeynep Sönmez on Tuesday, September 1. The World No. 4 American is targeting her third Grand Slam title and second US Open trophy at Flushing Meadows.
Her match against Sönmez has generated considerable intrigue among tennis fans, as the players are set to begin their rivalry without having previously faced each other on the Tour. However, a pre-tournament decision by the pair has also sparked amusement following Sönmez’s candid confession.
Coco Gauff and Zeynep Sönmez Prepare Separately for US Open 2026
Gauff enters the US Open riding a wave of momentum. The 22-year-old recently captured her second Cincinnati Open title, securing her first trophy of the season. She previously won the tournament in 2023 before going on to lift her maiden Grand Slam trophy in New York. The similarities have once again put the American in an encouraging position heading into the final Slam of the year.
Ahead of the main draw, Gauff fine-tuned her preparations with practice sessions alongside the likes of Elena Rybakina and Madison Keys. However, her plans changed after the draw was revealed, prompting her to abandon a scheduled training session with Sönmez.
Gauff and Sönmez were scheduled to practice together at 12 p.m. local time on Thursday, August 27, coinciding with the announcement of the US Open draw. However, the world No. 53 amusingly revealed that the players scrapped the session after the draw set up a first-round meeting between them.
“Actually, it was funny because we were about to practice with Coco. 15 minutes after we were supposed to practice, and then we found out that we are playing against each other, so we were like, ‘Oh!’” Sönmez said.
“We had to get different courts,” she added. “But, I mean, she’s a great player.”
So this is interesting. I hit up the Babolat player party for the new Pure Drive (beautiful stick) & was asking Sonmez about playing Gauff Rd 1. She said they were just about to practice together when the draw came out then immediately cancelled practice. Would men do that? 😄 pic.twitter.com/F0cHdtJ4PY
— Amy Lundy Dahl (@AmyLundyDahl) August 29, 2026
The 24-year-old has one WTA Tour title to her name, which she won at the 2024 Mérida Open. With just one career win over a top-10 opponent, she will look to add another when she takes on the home favorite on Tuesday.
Gauff, meanwhile, intends to take a measured approach to the tournament, aware of the external pressure that comes with being an American competing at the US Open.
“I think the expectations aren’t high. The US Open can be the one you feel the most pressure at just being an American wanting to succeed and do well,” she said in her pre-tournament press conference.
Apart from her title-winning run in 2023, Coco Gauff’s best US Open result came in 2022, when she reached the quarterfinals. Her previous two campaigns, however, ended in the fourth round.
“I just realized, in hindsight, I probably will be playing here ten more, ten plus years, but in the grand scheme of life, it’s not really that many opportunities you get to play here. So, I just try to enjoy each and every single time I’m out here. Obviously, nothing’s promised.”
“Whereas before I was just so focused on winning that the experience wasn’t as enjoyable for me. Sometimes I would win a match here and feel more relief than pride. And I want to switch that,” she noted.
There is an added incentive for Gauff at this year’s US Open, with the World No. 1 ranking also up for grabs. The American is among four players in contention, alongside Jessica Pegula, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina.
