Defending champion Coco Gauff overcame early nerves to cruise by France's Varvara Gracheva 6-2 6-0 in the first round of the US Open.
Gauff was popular as ever with her home crowd as she sent 10 aces over on Arthur Ashe Stadium, showing her determination to put a string of frustrating performances behind her in New York.
"I was just trying to enjoy the match," said Gauff, who set up a meeting with German Tatjana Maria in the next round. "I think today was the best tennis I've played in a while."
Gauff suffered early exits at tune-up tournaments in Cincinnati and Toronto and there were early signs of trouble as she had five double faults in the first set.
She had to fend off three break points to hold her serve in the second game but the world number three found her footing from there, breaking her opponent's serve in the third and seventh games.
Gracheva was never able to match Gauff's firepower, with 25 unforced errors and just five winners, as the American broke her on the fourth try in the opening game of the second set.
Gauff ploughed through the second set in 27 minutes, upping her level across the board as she produced only five unforced errors.
She exclaimed with frustration as she hit the ball out of bounds to give her opponent a break point chance in the final game, but got back on track with a pair of aces before her opponent handed her the match with an error on the final point.
The 20-year-old pumped her fist with satisfaction after clinching the win and reminded fans that she was bringing a new mentality to Flushing Meadows a year after winning her maiden major.
"It was definitely a lot of pressure, this tournament, but I'm just enjoying it," said Gauff. "Whatever happens, happens."
Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng survived a scare against home favourite Amanda Anisimova.
Anisimova started strongly on Louis Armstrong and surged to the opening set.
But Zheng, who stunned Iga Swiatek on her way to gold in Paris earlier this month, recovered to record a 4-6 6-4 6-2 success.
Madison Keys, seeded 14th, got her campaign up and running with a 6-4 6-1 win over Katerina Siniakova.
There was also an early win for Elina Svitolina, who came from a set down to beat Argentinian Maria Lourdes Carle, but ninth seed Maria Sakkari was an early casualty as she retired injured with a shoulder injury after losing the first set to Yafan Wang.
Maya Joint ensured she will get her biggest tennis payday after reaching the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time but the Australian teenager is unsure how much of the potential $140,000 she would get to keep as a student athlete.
The Michigan-born 18-year-old, who has committed to a psychology degree at the University of Texas, beat German Laura Siegemund 6-4 7-5 in the opening round.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules state that prior to full-time collegiate enrolment, players can accept prize money not exceeding $10,000 per year and additional prize money should not exceed "actual and necessary expenses".
"It's different rules for college," Joint told Australian media after booking a clash with American Madison Keys.
"As student athletes, you can take the money from the tournament but you have to make expenses until the end of the year. So it's different from amateur to college."
Joint's friend and fellow player Reese Brantmeier is among several athletes who had sued the NCAA in North Carolina federal court in March over the prize money issue.
"It's very complicated," said Joint, who decided last year to represent the country her father hails from.
"My mum looks at it and then the Texas Compliance Office helps me with all that."
Despite missing the start of her course, Joint said she was determined to go to college after the tournament.
"I decided a long time ago that I wanted to go to college and I wasn't really expecting to get this far," said Joint, who is expected to reach a career-high world number 107 after her run from qualifying.
"If I go to college, then I get my scholarship spot. If I decide to go pro in the meantime, I can always come back on scholarship, which is a big deal."
Additional reporting by PA
