Coco Gauff overcame a stern test against Paula Badosa to book her place in the third round of the US Open, needing just under two hours to confirm her victory. 

Gauff earned a hard-fought 6-4 7-6 (7-5) win to tee up a clash with another Spaniard in Cristina Bucsa in the next round, though her clash with Badosa was no simple task. 

The fourth seed was forced to save two break points early on, but Gauff was able to regain her composure to strike the decisive break after a forehand error from Badosa. 

Badosa, however, ensured the second set would be equally tight. After Gauff got the better of her serve, she responded with a break of her own to level things up at 4-4. 

The pair then exchanged breaks in back-to-back games to force a tie-break, with Badosa raising her level as she searched for a way back into the match.

But Badosa was unable to force a decider, sending a forehand long to spark a euphoric celebration from Gauff, who reached the fifth round in New York for the third year running. 

"Paula is a tough player. I felt ​like I had the lead, but there wasn't too much I did ⁠wrong. She stepped it up. I'm really happy to be through today," Gauff said. 

"I saw the draw. Definitely not someone you want to play in the ⁠second round. Former number two in the world. ​Great competitor.

"I think I need matches like this to build my ​confidence. I'm happy with how I managed today. There was a bit of nerves."

PURE TENACITY @CocoGauff hangs tough and secures her spot in the third round.#USOpen pic.twitter.com/M4mMYsnKwa

— wta (@WTA) September 4, 2026

Elena Rybakina, meanwhile, moved a step closer to becoming the world number one for the first time in her career after beating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in straight sets. 

Rybakina will become the world number one if Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula or Gauff do not win the US Open title or if she reaches the semi-finals regardless of other results.

And she comfortably progressed to the third round with a 6-2 6-4 victory over Bouzas Maneiro, with Yuliia Starodubtseva up next for the second seed at Flushing Meadows.

There was also a dominant victory for fifth seed Mirra Andreeva, who needed just over an hour to seal a 6-0 6-2 win against Eva Lys. 

Home hopeful Iva Jovic is also through following a 6-4 6-4 triumph over Francesca Jones, with the American teeing up an exciting clash with Alexandra Eala in round three. 

Rybakina rolls on in New York, but top 10 also in contention

With Rybakina's win over Bouzas Maneiro, each of the WTA top 10 have reached the third round at a grand slam event for the first time since Wimbledon in 2009, and she will know that several players will be out to derail her quest to become the world number one. 

However, majors are where Rybakina is at her best, having won the Australian Open earlier this year. In fact, she now has 12 grand slam wins this season, bettering her tally from the last two seasons in such events. Only in 2023 (13) has she managed more in a single campaign. 

Since the start of the 2020 season, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Gauff are the only players to have claimed more wins at majors than Rybakina (72), though the 2023 US Open winner is also looking strong after her opening two matches. 

Her most on hard court, Gauff has claimed a 22nd career match win at the US Open, equalling the Internazionali d'Italia (22) for her second-most at a single WTA-level event overall. She now only has more wins at Roland-Garros (29).