Coco Gauff faced a formidable obstacle in Spain's Paula Badosa before ultimately prevailing 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). The American, seeded fourth and fresh off her 2023 US Open triumph, moved into the third round where she will meet fellow Spaniard Cristina Bucsa. The match unfolded on a hot evening that stood in stark contrast to the rain‑soaked opening days of the tournament, with Gauff stepping onto Arthur Ashe Court buoyed by a supportive crowd and the lingering ambition of adding a third Grand Slam title to her résumé.
Badosa, ranked No. 87 in the world, may have been far down the rankings, but she entered the contest with a psychological edge, having won both of their previous encounters. She had defeated Gauff in straight sets at the Australian Open first round the previous year and again on the grass courts in Berlin during the summer swing.
Early in the first set, Badosa pressed hard, creating early break opportunities and forcing Gauff to fend off two break points. The turning point arrived when Badosa committed a costly forehand error, which seemed to shake her confidence. Gauff seized the moment, breaking serve and closing out the opening set to take the lead. The second set unfolded as a gripping seesaw battle, with each player breaking the other's serve twice.
The tension escalated until a tie‑break was required. Badosa raised her intensity, searching for a lifeline, but Gauff maintained composure.
In the decisive tie‑break, Gauff capitalized on a long ball from Badosa, celebrated exuberantly, and clinched the match, securing her spot in the next round. After the win, the 22‑year‑old reflected, "Paula is a tough player.
I felt I had the lead but didn't do much wrong. She stepped it up.
I'm really happy to be through today. I saw the draw – definitely not someone you want to face 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 cruised into the third round with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 victory over Germany's Eva Lys. The 19‑year‑old will next encounter Czech player Nikola Bartunkova.
World No. 2 Elena Rybakina also advanced 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 addressed lingering fitness concerns after withdrawing from the Cincinnati Open, noting that her preparation had been far from ideal but expressing gratitude for being able to compete. The headline of the night, however, belonged to Alexander Zverev, who survived another harrowing escape.
The top seed endured a five‑set marathon that stretched into the early hours, eventually prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-3 over Quentin Halys. The match, which lasted more than four and a half hours, did not conclude until 2:15 a.m. local time (7:15 a.m.
UK time). Zverev had already endured a grueling opening‑round battle against Lorenzo Sonego, and the Halys contest saw him surrender a two‑set lead twice before finally pulling through. By winning this match, Zverev became the first top‑seeded man in the Open Era to begin a major with back‑to‑back five‑set matches.
In his post‑match interview, he admitted, "The performance was quite s***, to be honest. 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 be able to come out on top in these difficult moments.
When you're not playing your best, when you're not hitting winners left and right, just getting through these matches. I hope at some point I'll start playing better but, for now, I'm happy to be in the third round." On the other side of the draw, young American Tien Learner delivered a generational upset, ending Gael Monfils' Grand Slam run with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory.
Monfils, celebrating his 40th birthday with a first‑round win over Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, saw his tournament hopes extinguished under the lights against a player half his age. Despite a moment of fatigue in the first set, Monfils turned to the crowd for encouragement, yet 14th‑seeded Tien remained unfazed, tightening his grip on the match. After securing the opening set, the 20‑year‑old continued to dictate play, absorbing Monfils' bursts of aggression and sealing a straight‑sets win that propels him toward a third‑round encounter with Czech Jakub Mensik.
Monfils attempted a final, emotion‑driven surge in the third set, showcasing his trademark shot‑making, but Tien held firm, closing out the match and warmly embracing the veteran, who announced his retirement at the end of the year. The US Open continues to broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports App, and the Laver Cup scheduled at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also on Sky Sports.