Gauff's clutch serving lifts her to win over Sonmez in US Open first round

NEW YORK -- Coco Gauff talked at length about the improvements made to her serve and mentality coming into the US Open, and both were on display midway through the second set of her opener against Zeynep Sonmez.

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In front of a packed house at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night, Gauff saved three break points in a six-deuce game spanning nine minutes to hold for 3-3. The World No. 4 then proceeded to finish the match with authority, closing out a 6-3, 6-4 win in 1 hour and 20 minutes just how she opened it -- with a hold to love.

Gauff has now won seven of her eight US Open first-round matches and has 81 Grand Slam match wins since the start of 2020. Only Iga Swiatek (109) and Aryna Sabalenka (106) have more.

More to come...