Coco Gauff begins her US Open title defense with an easy win after a two-match losing streak

New York: The chant rang out in cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday at the U.S. Open before Coco Gauff’s first service game of her first match of her first Grand Slam tournament as a defending champion: “Here we go, Coco! Here we go!”

Coming to Flushing Meadows off a series of early exits at other events, Gauff already was down 1-0 to Varvara Gracheva, having dropped the match’s initial game at love by making four groundstroke errors. What followed was a tough, tight game, featuring 14 points across eight minutes and three break chances for Gracheva.

The important part, of course and suddenly was in complete control on the way to a 6-2, 6-0 victory that not only put the 20-year-old American in the second round but also told her that her game is in better shape than it appeared lately.

“The last couple of weeks were tough, and I was like, I have to do this and do that, but I don’t have to prove anything to anyone except myself.’ So ... (these) two weeks are just about proving all the expectations that I have on myself,” Gauff said. “I have many more years coming back here and I’m not going to win every year. Just that perspective and just having the belief that I can — but not the expectation that I should.”