The match kicked off with an unforced error from Gauff, and Gracheva held serve in the first game. As they switched ends for Gauff’s inaugural service of the tournament, the crowd broke into the first rendition of a chant that will be heard regularly over the coming weeks.

Gauff paused momentarily as the chant “Here we go Coco, here we go” echoed around Arthur Ashe Stadium, reaching a peak before the crowd fell silent for her first serve.

Her response? An ace.

Minutes later, the same game was still underway, with Gauff battling to save her third break point. A few unforced errors from Gauff and some excellent winners from Gracheva suggested a rocky start for the defending champion.

Once again, the home crowd rallied behind her. This time, the chant was “Let’s go Coco, let’s go”.

The response? Another ace.

Two points later, she had held serve. The next point, on Grancheva’s serve, ended in a thrilling rally where Gauff took charge, clinching the point with a powerful volley.

After an initial bout of nerves and a boost from the vocal home support, Coco Gauff secured her first serve break, tipping the scales in her favour. Battling through her second service game with an ace at a crucial deuce, Gauff grasped the opportunity to lead 3-1.

Her performance is testament to an on-court wisdom that defies her youth, for in the significant moments, she consistently steps up, even if the beginnings are less than perfect.

The crowd erupted into another chorus of “Here we go, Coco, here we go”, after which Gauff couldn’t quite manage to break her opponent’s serve again.

She then faced a break point on her own serve. Carving out a 4-2 lead, Gauffs talent truly began to eclipse the gritty contest she’d been embroiled in, executing a sublime backhand winner as part of a sequence that saw her break once more, thus clinching the first set 6-2.

From that point, there was no looking back. She cruised to the second set 6-0 to wrap up a convincing win and march on to the second round.