NEW YORK (AFP) — Coco Gauff battled into the third round of the US Open on Thursday with a straight sets victory over Spain’s Paula Badosa.

Gauff advanced to a meeting with another Spaniard, Cristina Bucsa, after powering past Badosa 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) in just under two hours.

The 22-year-old American star, who is chasing a repeat of her 2023 US Open victory, had lost five of her eight previous meetings with Badosa.

But Gauff never looked like letting their latest encounter slip with a largely confident performance to open the Arthur Ashe Stadium evening session.

“Obviously, you know, I would prefer not to play somebody I’ve lost to so many times in the second round. But I think today was a big confidence booster.”

“And I think getting through in straight sets too makes a big difference. Yes, I was battle-tested, but I think it was a good battle where I wasn’t out on the court for three hours.”

After a steady start, the American broke Badosa in the seventh game of the opening set when the 28-year-old Manhattan-born Spaniard fluffed a risky drop shot into the net.

Gauff held serve to love to go 5-3 up before comfortably clinching the set with another rock solid service game.

Gauff looked to be ready to take control early in the second set, when Badosa was broken in the third game — again attempting a delicate drop volley which fell short.

Badosa, though, broke back to knot the set at 4-4 and then held off two break points to move into a 5-4 lead.

After Gauff leveled to make it 5-5, the two women swapped breaks of serve to set up the tie break, with Gauff sealing victory on her second match point when Badosa smacked a backhand long.

Gauff, whose game was in disarray this time last year, said she feels more at ease now in pressure moments of a match.

“I definitely feel more comfortable, especially on the serving end of things,” she said.