In the vibrant tennis hub of Montreal, Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 and reigning French Open champion, faced a stunning upset in the round of 16 at the National Bank Open, falling to 18-year-old Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko in a swift 6-1, 6-4 defeat. The match, lasting just 82 minutes, saw Gauff’s ongoing serve struggles overshadow her undeniable talent, as the rising star from Delray Beach, Florida, admitted to a critical mistake that may have cost her the match. Despite her resilience in earlier rounds, this loss has sparked introspection as Gauff prepares for the US Open, starting August 24, 2025.
Gauff entered Montreal as the top seed following Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal, carrying the weight of expectations after her French Open triumph in June. Her campaign began with a rollercoaster victory over compatriot Danielle Collins, where she battled through 23 double faults to win 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2). “I was practicing well, and I don’t think I transferred it today,” Gauff said after that match, hinting at the disconnect between her preparation and performance. She followed with another gritty win against Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova, overcoming 14 double faults in a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 comeback. “It was a tough match,” she noted, praising her mental fortitude on returns while lamenting her serve. “It does give positives that I am winning these matches having literally one part of my game on a crutch.”
Against Mboko, Gauff reduced her double faults to five, a significant improvement, but her 24 unforced errors proved costly. Mboko, ranked No. 85, played with fearless aggression, dominating the first set in just 25 minutes and holding firm in a tighter second set. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the Montreal crowd in French, basking in the “Olé, Olé, Olé!” chants. “I’m really happy to win today. It’s incredible.” For Gauff, the loss was a stark reminder of her vulnerabilities, particularly on hard courts, where her serve must be precise to complement her elite movement and defensive prowess.
Reflecting on her defeat, Gauff pinpointed a key misstep: inadequate match practice on hard courts following her French Open victory. “I probably should have played a few more matches after Roland Garros to get my rhythm on hard courts,” she confessed in a post-match press conference. Her whirlwind media tour in New York, followed by a brief grass-court season where she lost in the first round in Berlin and Wimbledon, left her underprepared for the North American hard-court swing. “Mentally, I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards,” she admitted, referencing the emotional and physical toll of her post-Paris commitments. This lack of match play, she believes, hindered her ability to adapt to the faster surface, where her topspin-heavy game struggles to find the same control as on clay.
Gauff’s serving woes have been a recurring theme. With over 250 double faults in 2025, she leads the WTA Tour in this unwanted statistic. Her 37 double faults across three matches in Montreal, including 23 against Collins and 14 against Kudermetova, mark the third-highest tally at a WTA 1000 event this season. “I don’t want to lead that stat, and I want to do better,” Gauff said, expressing frustration but also pride in her ability to win despite subpar serving. Former pro Rennae Stubbs praised her resilience, noting, “No matter what is happening, Coco never gives up. Never! It wins her so many matches.” However, Stubbs also highlighted technical issues, stating, “She 100% needs a kick second serve but she’s unable to do that with her grip and her ball toss.”
The Montreal loss to Mboko, a rematch of their three-set clash in Rome earlier this year, underscored the mental and technical adjustments Gauff must make. Her ability to win “C-level tennis” through sheer athleticism and mental toughness has carried her far, but as she eyes a strong US Open defense, refining her serve is paramount. “If I can stand on both feet, then I can only imagine that it will be a lot more straightforward,” she said, optimistic about her potential once her serve improves. With the US Open looming, Gauff’s Montreal experience serves as both a setback and a catalyst for growth, as she aims to harness her lessons learned and reclaim her dominance on home soil.
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