In a display of sheer resilience at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal, Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 and top seed, powered through a turbulent performance to secure her place in the fourth round, despite a staggering 37 double faults across her first two matches. The 21-year-old American, fresh off her French Open triumph in June, faced Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova in a grueling third-round clash, emerging victorious with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 scoreline. Yet, her 14 double faults in that match alone, coupled with 23 against compatriot Danielle Collins in the second round, left Gauff visibly frustrated. “I’m so disappointed in myself when it comes to that part of the game,” she admitted post-match, her words echoing the weight of a persistent struggle that threatens to overshadow her brilliance as the US Open looms.
Gauff’s Montreal campaign has been a masterclass in perseverance. Against Collins, a former top-10 player known for her ferocious hitting, Gauff survived a near-three-hour battle, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2), despite serving 23 double faults—the joint-highest in a WTA match since 2011. The match, a chaotic affair with 74 unforced errors from Gauff and 80 from Collins, saw nine service breaks and a dramatic tiebreak where Gauff’s mental fortitude shone. “It was a frustrating match for me,” Gauff said, acknowledging her failure to translate practice form to the court. “I felt like I was practicing well, but hopefully I got my bad match of the tournament out of the way.” Her ability to win despite such adversity stunned former champion Lindsay Davenport, who described Gauff’s performance as “C-level tennis” yet praised her emotional management in tight moments.
The Kudermetova match followed a similar script. Gauff surged to a 4-1 lead in the first set, only to unravel with 13 double faults across the first two sets, including six consecutive missed serves that handed Kudermetova an early break in the second. “The goal is to survive and advance,” Gauff said, encapsulating her mindset as she clawed back from a set and a break down. Her frustration boiled over when she smashed her racket after a third double fault, a rare outburst for the typically composed star. Yet, Gauff’s elite defense and relentless court coverage turned the tide. She won eight straight points to open the third set, capitalizing on Kudermetova’s fading form to secure the win. Former world No. 1 doubles player Rennae Stubbs lauded her tenacity, noting on X, “No matter what is happening, Coco never gives up. Never! It wins her so many matches.”
Gauff’s serving woes are not new. In 2024, she led the WTA Tour in double faults, with 21 in losses to Aryna Sabalenka at Wuhan and Moyuka Uchijima at Indian Wells. Technical issues, including her grip, ball toss, and low elbow, were pinpointed by Stubbs as areas needing refinement. “She 100% needs a kick second serve,” Stubbs wrote, highlighting the mechanical tweaks required to stabilize Gauff’s game. Despite hiring grip specialist Matt Daly last year to adjust her serve, the problem persists, with Gauff herself admitting it feels like a “mental hurdle.” “If I go out on the practice court right now, I would make 30 serves in a row,” she said, underscoring the disconnect between practice and match pressure.
Beyond singles, Gauff is also competing in doubles with McCartney Kessler, advancing to the second round after defeating Fanny Stollár and Wu Fang-Hsien. Her next singles challenge is a fourth-round clash against Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko, a rematch of their 2025 Italian Open encounter, which Gauff won in three sets. With Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal, Gauff remains the highest seed, facing a potential quarterfinal against Zhu Lin or Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. As the US Open approaches, her ability to win “ugly” on hard courts—boasting a 9-1 three-set record in 2025—offers hope, but her serve remains a critical concern. “If I can stand on both feet, it would be a lot more straightforward,” Gauff mused, envisioning the dominance she could achieve with a reliable serve.
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