Coco Gauff faced a formidable obstacle in Spain's Paula Badosa before ultimately clinching a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win. The American, seeded fourth and fresh off her 2023 US Open triumph, advanced to the third round where she will meet fellow Spaniard Cristina Bucsa. Playing on a hot evening that stood in stark contrast to the rain‑soaked opening matches, Gauff took to the Arthur Ashe Court buoyed by a supportive crowd and the lingering ambition of securing a third Grand Slam title.
The atmosphere was electric, yet the task ahead was anything but easy. Badosa, ranked 87th in the world, has historically held a favorable head‑to‑head record against Gauff, having defeated her in straight sets at the Australian Open first round last year and again during the recent grass‑court swing in Berlin.
From the outset, Badosa pressed hard, looking to dictate play and force errors. She generated early pressure, creating two break‑point chances that Gauff managed to fend off. The turning point arrived when the Spaniard mishit a forehand, an error that seemed to shake her confidence and gave Gauff the opening she needed to break serve.
Riding that momentum, Gauff closed out the first set, taking a vital lead. The second set unfolded as a tightly contested battle, with both players exchanging service breaks twice. Badosa elevated her game, searching for a pathway back into the match, while Gauff remained composed, matching her opponent shot for shot.
The set progressed to a tiebreak, where the drama intensified. After a series of long rallies, Badosa struck a deep ball that forced an error from Gauff, but the American quickly recovered, unleashing a decisive forehand that earned her the match point.
The crowd erupted as Gauff secured the tiebreak and, with it, her place in the next round. After the match, the 22‑year‑old reflected on the experience: "Paula is a tough player.
I felt like I had the lead but there wasn’t much I did wrong. She stepped it up. I’m really happy to be through today.
I saw the draw – definitely not someone you want to meet in the second round. Former world No.
2, great competitor. I think I need matches like this to build my confidence.
I’m happy with how I managed today, even though there were a few nerves." Elsewhere in the tournament, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva breezed into the third round with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 victory over Germany's Eva Lys. The 19‑year‑old will next face Czech Nikola Bartunkova. World No. 2 Elena Rybakina also progressed comfortably, dispatching Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-4 in just over an hour, setting up a clash with Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva.
Rybakina, who recently retired from the Cincinnati Open due to fitness concerns, addressed her preparation: "It wasn’t perfect preparation at all. I was a bit upset watching everyone practice, but I focused on recovery and gym work.
I’m super happy to be here." The headline of the night, however, belonged to Alexander Zverev, who survived a harrowing five‑set marathon that stretched well into the early hours. The top seed endured a grueling encounter with Quentin Halys after an earlier round against Lorenzo Sonego had already tested his resolve. Zverev eventually triumphed 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-3, a match lasting more than four and a half hours and concluding at 2:15 a.m.
local time (7:15 a.m. UK time).
This victory secured his place in a third‑round showdown with Alejandro Tabilo. Zverev’s win marked a historic moment: he became the first top‑seeded man in the Open Era (since 1968) to begin a major with back‑to‑back five‑set matches. In his post‑match interview, the German expressed a mixture of frustration and relief.
"The performance was quite s***, to be honest," he admitted. "But I won, and that’s the most important thing.
I’ve been here for another four and a half hours. That’s what I train for – to get through these difficult moments when you’re not hitting winners left and right. I hope at some point I’ll start playing better, but for now I’m happy to be in the third round." In another generational clash, young American Learner Tien ended Gael Monfils' Grand Slam run with a straight‑sets victory, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. Monfils, celebrating his 40th birthday on the day of his first‑round win over Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, saw his momentum fade under the lights against the 20‑year‑old Tien.
Despite Monfils' attempts to rally the crowd for inspiration in the latter stages of the first set, Tien remained unfazed, maintaining composure and dictating play throughout the match. After securing the opening set, Tien continued to absorb Monfils' bursts of aggression, ultimately sealing the second set and moving closer to a third‑round meeting with Czech Jakub Mensik. Monfils mounted a final, emotion‑driven charge in the third set, showcasing his trademark shot‑making, but Tien stood his ground, clinching the match and sharing a heartfelt embrace with the French veteran, who announced his retirement at the end of the year.
The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming available on NOW and the Sky Sports App without a contract. Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.