Coco Gauff started her US Open title defense with a commanding victory on Monday, defeating France’s Varvara Gracheva in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0. The win marked a strong return to form for the young American star, following disappointing performances at Wimbledon and the Olympics.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, Gauff faced early challenges from Gracheva, who applied pressure in Gauff’s first three service games, forcing six break points. However, Gauff held her ground, fending off all break opportunities and securing two breaks of her own to claim the first set. With momentum on her side, Gauff broke Gracheva’s serve early in the second set and didn’t lose another game, cruising to a decisive victory.

After the match, Gauff reflected on the pressure of returning to Flushing Meadows as the defending champion. “If you defend something, that means you won something,” Gauff said. “If you did it, that means you can do it again. Whether I do it again this year or not, I’m gonna do it again. Whether it’s 2024 or not, I will do it again.”

Gauff’s victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where she clinched her first Grand Slam title last year in a thrilling final against Aryna Sabalenka, has solidified her status as a top player. Since that win, Gauff has reached new heights, including a semifinal appearance at the Australian Open and another semifinal run at the French Open, where she also won her first Grand Slam doubles title alongside Katerina Siniakova.

Gauff entered this year’s US Open as the No. 3 seed, and she will face Germany’s Tatjana Maria in the second round on Wednesday. The 19-year-old remains a formidable contender, determined to add another Grand Slam title to her resume.

In other notable US results on Monday, Madison Keys, the No. 14 seed, secured a straight-sets win over Katerina Siniakova, while on the men’s side, unseeded American Brandon Nakashima upset No. 15 seed Holger Rune, and No. 12 seed Taylor Fritz and No. 13 seed Ben Shelton also advanced.