Queens, New York - Paula Badosa reached the US Open quarter-finals for the first time on Sunday by conquering Wang Yafan as well as New York's suffocating humidity before hailing her battling return from a potentially career-ending injury.

The 26th-seeded Spaniard came through 6-1, 6-2 for her best Grand Slam result since she considered quitting the sport earlier this year.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, the first two games on Sunday took 17 minutes to complete while Badosa saved all eight break points she faced.

"It was so humid I thought I was going to die," said the 26-year-old New York-born player of the humidity, which hit 85% at noon.

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"I knew she was tough, but I'm tougher."

Badosa is the first Spanish woman to make the quarter-finals since Carla Suarez Navarro in 2018 while it has been 28 years since a Spaniard last reached the semi-finals.

That honor fell to Conchita Martinez in 1996.

Badosa will take on either defending champion Coco Gauff or Emma Navarro for a place in the semi-finals.

Her progress to the quarter-finals marks a substantial turnaround in Badosa's fortunes. She suffered a stress fracture to her back at Wimbledon last year, which sidelined her for the rest of the season.