Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva made winning starts to their US Open campaigns on Tuesday, with both fourth seed Gauff and fifth seed Andreeva progressing in straight sets. Gauff defeated Trkiye’s Zeynep Snmez 6-3, 6-4, while Andreeva eased past Indonesia’s Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2.
Andreeva, the reigning French Open champion, looked comfortable under the roof at Louis Armstrong Stadium as she used her power and precision to control Tjen. Gauff, meanwhile, continued her strong run of form on Arthur Ashe Stadium after arriving in New York fresh from winning the Cincinnati Open.
The 19-year-old Andreeva has enjoyed a breakthrough season, becoming the third-youngest women’s Grand Slam champion this century behind Maria Sharapova and Emma Raducanu when she won the French Open. She is now trying to put that achievement to one side and handle the expectations that come with being a major champion.
“I’ve been talking to my psychologist about it a lot, trying to think about it as just another tournament I won this year and not put labels on it,” Andreeva told reporters. “Now I feel I’m just trying to move on in a way, like ‘okay, I won. That was great’ but now it’s another tournament I want to win.”
ANDREEVA KEEPS ROLLING
Andreeva broke for a 3-2 lead in the opening set with a powerful forehand winner before taking complete control. She closed out the first set in just 31 minutes and produced another early break in the second before finishing off a convincing victory.
The teenager had also beaten Tjen in Cincinnati last month and said she approached their second meeting with a clear plan to be more aggressive.
“Our match in Cincinnati was really tough … the conditions were tough as it was hot and humid,” Andreeva said. “I was trying to go for my shots, and after everything I just feel like today it was a better match.”
Andreeva will face Germany’s Eva Lys in the second round as she bids to reach the second week at Flushing Meadows for the first time.
GAUFF KEEPS MOMENTUM
Gauff arrived at the US Open with plenty of confidence after winning the Cincinnati Open, beating world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the final. She started against Snmez with an ace and largely controlled the match behind a powerful serve, with several deliveries clocking above 120 mph.
The American briefly lost her advantage in the second set when Snmez levelled at 2-2, but Gauff responded immediately. A double fault from the Turkish player handed Gauff another break and she held her nerve to close out the match in 80 minutes.
The 2023 US Open champion has often had difficult opening rounds in New York, needing three sets to progress from the first round five times in her previous appearances. There was no such trouble this time as she booked her place in round two.
Gauff will next face either Paula Badosa or Daria Kasatkina, with their first-round match suspended because of rain. A second US Open title would also keep Gauff in contention for a first career stint at world No. 1.
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