American Coco Gauff began her U.S. Open title defense with a 6-2, 6-0 win over France’s Varvara Gracheva on Monday, needing only 66 minutes to finish the first-round encounter.

Gauff, who last year became the first American teenager to win the U.S. Open title since Serena Williams in 1999, fired 10 aces and saved eight break points against the 66th-ranked Gracheva at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“It is definitely a lot of pressure this tournament but I’m just enjoying it,” third seed Gauff said after the match.

“Last year was incredible, so I’m just bringing those vibes and whatever happens, happens.”

Gauff had a frustrating build-up to the U.S. Open, as she crashed out in the third round at the Canadian Open in Toronto and suffered an opening round exit as the defending champion in Cincinnati.

But the 20-year-old looks keen to put those performances behind her.

“The last few weeks have been a little bit tough,” world no. 3 Gauff said. “But today was I think the best tennis I’ve played in a while,” Gauff added.

In Wednesday’s second-round match, Gauff will play against German veteran Tatjana Maria. She has faced Maria only once before, beating her in straight sets at Auckland in 2023.

According to the WTA website, Gauff has now won 15 main-draw matches in her U.S. Open career. She is the youngest woman to collect that many main-draw singles victories at the hardcourt major since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

Gauff reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and French Open this year and the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Second Seed Sabalenka Sails Through

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon 6-3, 6-3 in her first-round match.

Having won the Australian Open this year, Sabalenka is trying to become the first woman to win both hardcourt majors in the same season since Angelique Kerber in 2016.

The Belarusian will face Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in the second round on Wednesday.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, seeded eighth, also progressed to the second round with a 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over Spanish qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera.

Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen of China, seeded seventh, came back from a set down to beat Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in two hours and 20 minutes.