NEW YORK (REUTERS, AFP) - American Coco Gauff eased into the second round of the US Open on Monday (Aug 29) with a comfortable 6-2 6-3 victory over France’s Leolia Jeanjean.

Gauff, the 12th seed and home favourite, had the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium firmly behind her as she wrapped up the match in 79 minutes on the back of a strong first serve.

“I’m super excited because this is my first win on Ashe. I think this is my fourth match here on this court and it’s my first win,” she said in her on-court interview.

The 18-year-old, who was French Open runner-up earlier this year, fired eight aces and lost only two points on her first serve.

Gauff will next play the winner of the match between Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Daria Saville.

Meanwhile former world number one Simona Halep was knocked out of the US Open in the first round on Monday, losing to Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur.

The 124th-ranked Snigur, making her Grand Slam main draw debut, won 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 against the two-time major winner who came into New York having won the prestigious Toronto title.

Snigur, wearing a ribbon in the colors of Ukraine on her shirt, will face Magdalena Frech of Poland or Canada's Rebecca Marino for a place in the last 32.

She held her nerve on Louis Armstrong Stadium after seeing a 5-1 lead slip away in the final set before taking the tie on a third match point and breaking down in tears.