New York: A “battle-tested” Coco Gauff demonstrated her resilience to keep her quest for a second US Open title alive by defeating Paula Badosa in the second round. Fourth seed Gauff had previously lost her last two encounters against Spanish former world number two Badosa, but displayed impressive composure in a challenging match at Flushing Meadows.
According to BBC, American Gauff was twice a break up in the second set and served for the match at 6-5, only to hit a volley into the net, sending the match into a tie-break. After a quick yell of “why?” towards her team, Gauff regained her focus and closed out the victory on her second match point. Gauff’s improved second serve was a notable aspect of her game, winning 57% of points behind it and committing only five double faults.
Gauff expressed her satisfaction with the match, saying, “I saw the draw – it is definitely not someone you want to play in the second round. But I need matches like this to build my confidence and I’m happy with how I managed today.” She added that getting through in straight sets “makes a big difference” and described the encounter as a beneficial battle.
For Gauff to ascend to the world number one ranking, she needs to win the title and hope that Kazakhstani second seed Elena Rybakina does not reach the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Rybakina secured a 6-2, 6-4 win over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, marking a significant milestone as the women’s top 10 in the WTA rankings reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon in 2009.
In another match, Naomi Osaka overcame a second-set lapse to defeat Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1. Two-time US Open winner Osaka experienced a momentary struggle during the second set but regained her momentum after a brief break, overpowering Siniakova in the final set. Osaka, who wore an outfit inspired by NBA legend Allen Iverson for her first-round match, donned a white dress embroidered with tennis racquets on Thursday.
Osaka reflected on her performance, stating, “The match was definitely really tough. I was a little bit too hard on myself after opportunities in the second set.” She credited a bathroom break for helping her regroup and return to the match with renewed determination.
Poland’s Iga Swiatek, a six-time major winner and former world number one, defeated Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska 6-3, 6-2, setting up a meeting with Czech Marie Bouzkova. Additionally, American former runner-up Madison Keys saved five match points to secure a thrilling victory over Hungary’s Anna Bondar, with a final score of 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (10-5).