NEW YORK, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Third seed Jessica Pegula and former finalist Madison Keys each punched their tickets into the second round of the U.S. Open with routine victories on Tuesday that bolstered hopes for a homegrown winner at the year's final Grand Slam. Pegula, whose U.S. Open tune-up included a triumph in Montreal just over two weeks ago, earned a 6-2 6-2 victory over Italy's Camila Giorgi shortly after 2017 runner-up Keys beat Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus 6-2 6-4. "I think we are all hoping that we hit the right form going into a slam, especially if you get through the first week trying to hit that stride in the second week," Pegula said during her on-court interview in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Tennis is so day-to-day, you can feel great one week and then you can feel terrible the next. So you are just tying to really get through the first few rounds and try and get better each match."

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Persons: Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Pegula, Italy's Camila Giorgi, Dutchwoman, Sloane Stephens, Keys, Giorgi, Arthur Ashe, Louis Armstrong, Frank Pingue, Toby Davis Organizations: U.S, Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus, Louis, Thomson Locations: Montreal, American, Toronto