Under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, defending champion Coco Gauff faced a tough test in her opening match at the 2025 US Open. She went head-to-head with the experienced Ajla Tomljanović and had to fight hard for every point. The match turned into a rollercoaster of errors, missed chances, and tense rallies. In the end, Gauff made her way to a dramatic 6–4, 6–7(2), 7–5 victory.
Gauff’s performance was far from perfect. She hit 10 double faults and committed 56 unforced errors, giving Tomljanović room to strike back. The Australian forced a deciding set, but Gauff refused to fold. At the key moment, she fired a clutch backhand winner down the line to seal the win and send the crowd into a frenzy.
With the scare behind her, Gauff now turns her focus to Round 2, where she will face Donna Vekić, the Paris Olympic silver medallist. The first round showed her weaknesses, but it also revealed her strength under pressure. Even on a shaky night, Gauff proved why she is still one of the top contenders for a second straight US Open crown.