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NEW YORK — Ukrainian Daria Snigur’s first career win on the WTA Tour was a big one. American Coco Gauff’s first career win at Arthur Ashe Stadium was an easy one.
The 20-year-old Snigur stunned No. 7 seed Simona Halep 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 in the first round of the US Open, then struggled through tears to explain what the victory meant to her family and her country during its war with Russia.
Snigur wore a pin in the colors of Ukraine’s flag on her chest and put her hands around it after the final point.
Snigur took part last week in the “Tennis Plays for Peace” exhibition in Louis Armstrong Stadium to raise money to aid Ukraine, and she said that might have helped her nerves when she returned to the same court Monday.
Halep, from Romania, had won 19 of her past 22 matches and recently returned to the top 10, but the two-time Grand Slam champion has struggled at the US Open throughout her career.
Meanwhile, No. 12-ranked Gauff cruised past Leolia Jeanjean 6-2, 6-3. Gauff had lost each of her previous three appearances on Arthur Ashe, including doubles.
Third-seeded Maria Sakkari and No. 17 Caroline Garcia were among the other early winners on the women’s side, with Sakkari overcoming Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria in three sets.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.