Simona Halep, who missed three of the year’s biggest events while recovering from a calf injury, delivered a statement win in her return to grand slam action, as she beat Italian Camila Giorgi 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) on Monday to reach the US Open second round.

The former world No.1, who is seeded 12th in New York, relied on a solid serving game to get by in-form Giorgi, who won the biggest title of her career just two weeks ago in Montreal.

Halep missed the French Open, Wimbledon and Tokyo Olympics due to an injury suffered in Rome and then, in only her second tournament back, was forced to withdraw from a US Open tune-up event in Cincinnati due to a right thigh injury.

Halep, a two-time grand slam champion whose best US Open finish came in 2015 when she reached the semis, will next meet Slovakian lucky loser Kristina Kucova.

Spanish ninth seed Garbine Muguruza held off a fighting Donna Vekic of Croatia to secure a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) win in just over two hours.

In a tough encounter between two unseeded Americans, Sloane Stephens got the better of Madison Keys 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7).

In the men’s singles, Diego Schwartzman of Argentina tamed Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis 7-5, 6-3, 6-3.