Andy Murray overcame a stunning start by young American wildcard Emilio Nava to reach the US Open third round for the first time since 2016.
Britain's Murray missed chances before losing a long first set but fought back to win 5-7 6-3 6-1 6-0 in New York.
The 35-year-old Scot often looked subdued, perhaps a result of his early frustration, but had enough quality.
The 2012 champion will play Italian 13th seed Matteo Berrettini or France's Hugo Grenier in the last 32.
A deep run at a major tournament has long been one of Murray's biggest targets, with his body eventually starting to hold up for longer periods than recent seasons.