Coco Gauff opens the U.S. Open as the fourth seed against Zeynep Sonmez. Can she reach the third round without dropping a set?

Coco Gauff, the fourth seed at the 2026 US Open, defeated Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey 6-3, 6-4 in the first round on Sept. 1, then beat Spain's Paula Badosa 6-4, 7-6(5) in the second round on Sept. 3, advancing to the third round without dropping a set. Gauff struggled at times with her serve against Sonmez and needed a second-set tiebreak to close out Badosa, who was playing some of her best tennis of the tournament after a resurgent summer. Gauff reached the third round for the fifth consecutive year, setting up a match against Cristina Bucsa.

The result matched the market's yes outcome. The community got it wrong: only 43% predicted yes, with most bettors wagering that a tough Badosa test, or an early upset, would cost Gauff a set given how physical her matches had been in recent tournaments. Instead, she managed her serve issues well enough to close out both matches in straight sets. The result extended Gauff's run of consistently deep US Open showings since her 2023 title, part of a broader pattern this year of seeded women's players advancing steadily through the tournament's opening week.