Defending champion Coco Gauff says she is treating this year's US Open as a "victory lap" after comfortably beating Varvara Gracheva in her opening match.
Gauff, 20, began her title defence with a 6-2 6-0 victory in just 66 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The American beat Aryna Sabalenka in last year's final to win her first Grand Slam and followed that by reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open and French Open this year.
But she has struggled for form recently, losing in the third round of the Paris Olympics before suffering early exits at tournaments in Cincinnati and Toronto.
Gauff said the past few weeks have "been a little bit tough", but she believed her performance against Gracheva was "the best tennis I have played in a while".
She added that a fan's comment on her TikTok account had helped change her perspective coming into the US Open.
"Someone commented on my TikTok saying you've won in life, literally and figuratively, and there's no point in piling pressure on yourself on a victory lap," Gauff said in her on-court interview.
"I'm just treating this tournament like that and if you defend something that means you won something."
Gauff, who fired down 10 aces, broke Gracheva's serve twice in the opening set and won the last nine games on her way to an emphatic victory.
She will face German veteran Tatjana Maria in the second round after the 37-year-old moved past Argentine qualifier Solana Sierra 6-2 6-3.
Latest Stories
-
Al-Qaeda-linked group says it was behind Mali attack
7 mins -
Facebook owner bans Russian state media networks
25 mins -
UBA launches ‘Tastes of Africa Culinary Challenge’ with $5,200 Prize Pool
33 mins -
Excitement builds as tickets for 2024 African Legends Night go on sale
44 mins -
Four children trapped in freezer in Namibia die
54 mins -
What will a US interest rate cut mean for me?
1 hour -
Marlboro owner sells UK inhaler firm over backlash
1 hour -
2 preferred bidders submitted to government for Saglemi Housing Project completion
1 hour -
Opoku-Gyamfi Boateng
2 hours -
Microsoft, BlackRock to launch $30bn fund for AI infrastructure
2 hours -
Building one Ghana with opportunity for all is my priority – Bawumia
2 hours -
We will not forget the respect you have showed to us – Head of Ashaiman Ewe community to Bawumia
2 hours -
‘The fight continues’ after nationwide ‘Enough is Enough’ demo – NDC reaffirms call for transparency
2 hours -
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail in sex-trafficking case
3 hours -
Kate at first work meeting since cancer treatment
3 hours