Qualifier Wang Yafan made a triumphant return to the Grand Slam stage at the US Open, knocking out No.7 seed and last year's semifinalist Caroline Garcia in the first round 6-4, 6-1 in just 70 minutes.

However, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova booked her place in the second round in exactly an hour, defeating qualifier Han Na-Lae 6-3, 6-0.

US Open 2023: Draw | Order of play | Scores | 411

Former World No.47 Wang last played a major main draw at Wimbledon 2021, and last won a Grand Slam match at Wimbledon 2019. But after missing seven months of the 2022 season, she has been on a roll this year. Her 2023 record so far stands at 57-10 at all levels, including titles in five ITF events and the Stanford WTA 125 tournament two weeks ago, and she has rocketed from No.696 to No.114 in just six months.

Dating from the latter championship, Wang is now on an 11-match winning streak. She has not dropped a set, or even lost more than four games in a set, in four matches at Flushing Meadows so far. And though she has played exclusively below tour level so far this year, she adapted to the step up in opponent with ease to notch her second career Top 10 win (following her defeat of Elina Svitolina at Miami 2019). It was also Wang's second victory in three meetings with Garcia, having also beaten the Frenchwoman 6-4, 6-2 in the second round of Tianjin 2019.

Wang will next face Nottingham champion Katie Boulter, who raced past Diane Parry 6-4, 6-0 in 1 hour and 22 minutes.

How the match was won: Five of the first six games featured break point opportunities, but Wang was the only player to take one as Garcia double-faulted twice to fall behind 3-2.

The WTA Finals champion had lost five of her last seven matches ahead of the US Open, and her mounting error count illustrated why. Standing inside the court, Garcia repeatedly failed to make returns, and Wang did not face a break point across her last five service games.

Wang had needed to hit just two winners to take the first set, but pressed home her advantage at the start of the second, breaking Garcia immediately with a superb inside-in forehand. From there, the 29-year-old rolled as Garcia tallied 34 unforced errors, including six double faults -- the last of which came down match point.

Vondrousova wins eighth straight Grand Slam match: Playing her first Grand Slam match as the Wimbledon champion and a Top 10 player, the No.9 seed patiently worked out a tricky opponent before stamping her authority on the match.

Han was making her tournament debut at the age of 31, the first South Korean woman in the US Open main draw since Cho Yoon-Jeong in 2007. The disguise on the left-hander's two-fisted strokes on both sides and her superb touch at net made for numerous crafty exchanges, and the match opened with five straight service breaks.

Vondrousova had her share of highlight reel moments, too, such as her slide into a sharply angled pass that kissed the sideline in the first set. Her two key shots were her signature drop shot, with which she repeatedly out-manoeuvred Han, and her return, which punished the World No.241's softer serve relentlessly.

Photos: All this year's three-hour matches

Han managed to hold serve just once in the match, and once Vondrousova had the first set under her belt the Czech accelerated towards the finishing line. She will next face Martina Trevisan, who defeated Yulia Putintseva in a wild 0-6, 7-6(0), 7-6[8] barnburner. The Italian won just six points in the first set, but came from 4-2 down in the third to triumph in 3 hours and 19 minutes -- the longest WTA match of the US Open so far.