Living up to his No.1 rank, Roger Federer began his campaign to win a record sixth US Open with a comfortable 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory on Monday over America's Donald Young.
Playing in in his 52nd consecutive Grand Slam tournament, Federer brushed aside his 81st-ranked opponent, who only last week stopped a run of 17 defeats in a row but who now stands at three wins and 22 losses in 2012.
The world number one, who was the men's champion at Flushing Meadows for five consecutive years until 2009, claimed the opening set in 27 minutes courtesy of a solitary break of serve.
Young did manage to break Federer's serve in the second set, however he failed to hold three times as the 31-year-old Swiss cruised into a two-set lead.
Federer was forced to battle in the third set, but he eventually converted his third match point to prevail 6-3 6-2 6-4.
Federer, who won his 17th Grand Slam trophy courtesy of his seventh Wimbledon title in July, goes on to face German veteran Bjorn Phau for a place in the last 32.
Bjorn Phau his ousted Belgian Maxime Authom 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6.
The Swiss star's win was also the first step on his way to erasing the disappointment of 2011, when he squandered a two-sets-to-love lead and match points to lose to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
