NEW YORK, ⁠Aug 30 (Reuters) - American Jessica Pegula cruised past Romania's Elena-Gabriela ⁠Ruse 6-3 6-2 to reach the U.S. Open second round ‌on Sunday, taming early nerves as she opened the action on Arthur Ashe Stadium in her latest bid for a maiden major title.

The world number three ​squandered eight break-point chances early in the ⁠first set before hitting ⁠her stride with 26 winners to just 14 from her opponent, ⁠closing ‌it out with an unreturnable forehand.

She will have two days' rest under the 15-day schedule the tournament rolled out ⁠last year, and will next play the winner ​of a match ‌later on Sunday on Ashe between American wildcards Venus Williams ⁠and Sofia ​Kenin.

"I was so nervous today," she said. "(Now) I get to sit around the site and watch everyone else freak out."

Those nerves were apparent ⁠in a tricky opening set, where Ruse ​saved eight break points in a marathon third game but sent a shot wide to hand a break to Pegula in the ⁠fifth.

The Romanianheld her arms aloft after surviving an entertaining cat-and-mouse exchange at the net to save break point in the seventh with a perfect backhand slice.

But Pegula took control of the match ​from there, cruising through her next service ⁠game before breaking Ruse with a forehand winner to close out the ​set.

Pegula sprinted through the next set, ‌where she won all of her ​first-serve points and broke in the sixth and eighth games.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Toby Davis)