Gauff overcomes recent history against Badosa to reach the US Open third round
For the first time in two years, World No. 4 Coco Gauff defeated Paula Badosa, snapping a two-match losing streak against her Spanish rival.
The 2023 US Open champion booked her fifth consecutive third-round appearance in New York with a 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory on Thursday night. With the two-hour win, Gauff narrowed Badosa’s lead in their head-to-head series to 5-4, recording her first win over Badosa since the 2024 China Open.
US Open: Scores | Order of play | Draws
Gauff will return to the court on Saturday for a third-round matchup against Spain's highest-ranked player, Cristina Bucsa, with a spot in the Round of 16 on the line.
Just a few months ago, Badosa pulled off a comeback 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Gauff in Berlin, which was her first top 10 win in exactly a year. Then at the 2025 Australian Open, Badosa edged out Gauff to reach the final four.
As with all their battles, it was a showcase of Badosa's power and Gauff's variety, and Gauff said it's beneficial for her to get tested this earlier in the tournament, particularly against players she's been on the losing side before.
"I think it's good to be battle-tested," Gauff said to press. "When I won here in 2023, I think I went three sets, I felt like, almost every match. When I saw the draw, I was, like, 'Well I lost to Daria a bunch of times, and I lost to Paula a bunch of times.' So I knew if I got through my first-round match, the second round was just going to be tough, regardless.
"I think for me it's a good confidence booster knowing that I can get through these matches. Obviously, you know, I would prefer maybe not to play somebody I've lost to so many times second round. But I think today was a big confidence booster."
Following a backhand winner to hold the opening game, Badosa pressured Gauff early with a double-break point opportunity. Gauff's serve was shaky to start, but clutched in the moment and won four straight points to hold that were capped off with an 115 mile per hour ace.
Badosa's backhand was one of her biggest weapons Thursday evening, with eight of her winners coming on the potent backhand. At 2-2, 40-40 on serve, Badosa stretched Gauff wide on her serve, and the return came right back to Badosa on the center of the baseline. Smartly, she rifled a backhand back toward the same spot where Gauff's momentum to cover the court had taken her past. Badosa then finished the game with a smash volley, taking a 3-2 lead 30 minutes in.
The match was even-keeled throughout the first six games and as routine as it could get, but a Badosa blunder inevitably gifted Gauff the first break of the game. Leading 40-30 at 3-3, Badosa had a perfect serve that once again forced Gauff wide. Gauff's positioning left Badosa with ample space for a forehand winner, but a mishit on the racquet kept Gauff in the rally, and Gauff ultimately won the point. A few points later, a Badosa drop shot that was just short of the net gave Gauff the first breakthrough.
Gauff closed the 52-minute first set with two strong service games, highlighted by a serve and volley on her second set point, her sixth point at the net of the match.
With Gauff having her first break point chance in the second set, Badosa elected once again to use a subtle drop shot in an attempt to catch Gauff off guard. Similarly, it was left short, clipping the net cord and falling back as Badosa could only squat down in disappointment. It was her then 18th unforced error of the match, and just like the two the first set, they're ones she'd like to have back.
Still, Gauff had to finish the job, and Badosa remained competitive despite being down a break. Her first real look to get to match back on serve in the second set is when she led 0-30, down 4-3. Badosa capitalized, getting the heavily desired break at 4-4 by forcing an uncomfortable look for Gauff who was at the net.
"I definitely think I have gotten a lot of experience playing in these pressure moments, what to do and what not to do," Gauff added. "It's still a learning experience and things like that. I definitely feel more comfortable, especially on the serving end of things.
"She broke me two times, one time serving for it. I wasn't too upset. I don't think I could have served that much better. That's the part of my game where I feel less pressure and I know I can get a big serve in when I need to. It's just about if my opponent responds, and she did. Even on the first match point, 121 to body, and she hit it really good and hit a let cord.
"I'm able to let things go now. I feel like I'm much more relaxed in these moments knowing that if I lose, it's because I gave myself the best shot versus just giving away the match."
Two games later after holds by each, Badosa created a pressure moment herself, digging a huge hole with a 0-40 deficit. Badosa saved the first two break points, but on the third -- a clever drop shot by Gauff that Badosa got to but couldn't get over the net -- had the crowd erupt as Gauff yelled "Let's Go, Come On!" hyping up her fellow Americans as Gauff led 6-5 in the second set.
Badosa fought back and forced a tiebreak, but Gauff ultimately prevailed in her eighth tiebreak win of the season.
Bucsa wins match of the day
It wasn't Arthur Ashe or Louis Armstrong Courts that had the best match of the day. Rather, Court 6 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center saw a three-hour, three-set and three-tiebreak thriller between Bucsa and Himeno Sakatsume.
Bucsa prevailed 7-6 (6), 6-7 (0), 7-6 (10-6) en route to her fourth career third round at a Grand Slam, following the 2023 Australian Open, 2025 Roland Garros and 2025 US Open. The WTA Tour's top Spaniard has found a liking to New York, where she reached her first career Round of 16 in 2025.
The match saw each player record six breaks of serve in a total of 256 points, which Sakatsume had the slight edge with 129 to Bucsa's 127. Bucsa entered the match after an upset of No. 28 seed Sara Bejlek, and on Saturday, she'll face Gauff for the second time in her career -- Gauff won the first meeting at 2023 Indian Wells second round in straight sets.
