Coco Gauff entered Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday night having lost her last two encounters with Paula Badosa, including a defeat on grass in Berlin this June. Despite trailing 5-3 in their head-to-head series, the 22-year-old American remained the heavy favorite.
Gauff narrowly avoided a deciding third set, securing a tense 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory — her eighth straight win and 16th consecutive set claimed — to reach the third round in Flushing for the fifth consecutive year. She celebrated the hard-fought triumph by thrusting both fists into the air and letting out an emphatic scream.
“I think it’s good to be battle tested,” said Gauff, who will face Spain’s Cristina Bucsa on Saturday. “When I won here in 2023, I think I went three sets what felt like every match. … For me, it’s a good confidence booster knowing that I can get through these matches. Obviously, I would prefer maybe not to play someone who I’ve lost to so many times in the second round, but I think today was a big confidence booster, and getting through in straight sets makes a big difference.”
Serving for the match twice before closing it out in the second-set tiebreak, Gauff admitted Badosa was not an opponent she wanted to see so early in the draw. The 28-year-old Spaniard, a former world No. 2, pushed Gauff to the limit despite playing for a third straight day after completing a rain-delayed first-round match on Wednesday.
Gauff acknowledged feeling nervous early on, a fact evident as she struggled to hold serve in the opening games. She erased a 40-15 deficit in her very first service game to stay level with Badosa. By the sixth game, however, Gauff found her rhythm, placing the ball with precision.
Both players exchanged breaks in the second set before a competitive tiebreak saw Badosa pull level at 3-3. Gauff ultimately seized control to clinch the victory. Her much-improved serve, a frequent topic of discussion, peaked at 121 mph on Thursday night.
Asked whether she could eventually hit 130 mph, Gauff was noncommittal. “I don’t know if I can or not. That’s a good question,” she said. “We’ll see at the end of my career if I can. Maybe if I’m up, like really up in a match, I might go for it. Sometimes, when I am up, I try to go for it. But I find when I don’t go for it, that’s when the speed is higher so. I don’t know, you have to just catch me on a real relaxed day.”
Gauff is one of four women in the draw who could finish the tournament as world No. 1. Fellow American Jessica Pegula has previously stated she dreams of the top ranking more than a Grand Slam title. Asked for her perspective, Gauff offered a contrasting view.
“I’ve never thought about being number one,” she said. “I think just growing up watching Serena [Williams] play. … It was very clear she was focused on the Slam. So I think growing up watching her play, I just always had that mentality. Yes, it would be cool to be number one, but it’s not something that I’ve thought about, to be honest.
“I definitely care, but I don’t think it’s something I’ll be nervous about. Honestly, if it happens, great. If not, no. I’m just more focused on winning Slams.”