In a stunning turn of events at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal, Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 and top seed, achieved a historic first for the season despite falling 6-1, 6-4 to Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko in the round of 16. The 21-year-old American, fresh off her French Open triumph in June, became the first player since Serena Williams in 2002 to reach the semifinals or better in four WTA 1000 events in a single season, a remarkable feat that underscores her dominance on the tour. However, her milestone was bittersweet, as the 18-year-old Mboko delivered a masterclass, capitalizing on Gauff’s serving struggles to secure the biggest win of her career in just 62 minutes.
Gauff’s 2025 campaign has been a testament to her resilience and growth. With titles in Australia and Roland Garros, plus finals in Madrid and Rome, she has cemented her status as a leading force in women’s tennis. Her hard-court prowess, boasting a 33-10 record this season, made her a favorite in Montreal, where she won her first WTA 1000 title in 2023. Yet, her serve, a persistent vulnerability, betrayed her against Mboko. Gauff racked up six double faults in the match, bringing her tournament total to 43 across three matches, including 23 against Danielle Collins and 14 against Veronika Kudermetova. “I haven’t played the best in this tournament, so I knew that it would be tough,” Gauff admitted post-match, reflecting on her struggles. “She played a really great match, that’s basically it.”
Mboko, ranked No. 85, seized the moment with fearless aggression, breaking Gauff three times in the first set, which she claimed in a blistering 25 minutes. The Canadian’s powerful groundstrokes and blistering serve—winning 79.3% of first-serve points—overwhelmed Gauff, who committed 24 unforced errors. “I was just happy I kept my composure today and I pulled it through,” Mboko said, her poise belying her youth. Drawing on their previous encounter in Rome, where Gauff rallied to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, Mboko adjusted her tactics. “I had flashbacks to when I played her in Rome,” she noted. “I wanted to step my game up a little bit more and make sure I matched whatever she was producing.”
The second set saw Gauff fight back, earning three break-point chances at 3-3, but Mboko’s relentless pressure and the roaring Montreal crowd—chanting “Olé, Olé, Olé!”—proved too much. “When I was up 5-4, the crowd started cheering even louder, and everything got super noisy,” Mboko recalled. “I used that as more fuel for myself.” Gauff’s errors, including a critical double fault on match point, handed Mboko the victory, making her the youngest Canadian quarterfinalist at the event since 1987 and only the second wildcard to defeat a top seed in its history.
Despite the loss, Gauff’s milestone of reaching four WTA 1000 semifinals in 2025—including Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome, and Beijing—highlights her consistency at the highest level. Her ability to navigate high-pressure matches, as seen in her three-set comebacks in Montreal’s earlier rounds, showcases her mental fortitude. “She’s very athletic. She’s a great ball striker, and she seems pretty positive out there on the court,” Gauff said of Mboko, graciously acknowledging her opponent’s potential. “I think she’s going to have a lot of success on tour.”
Mboko’s meteoric rise, from No. 333 at the start of the year to No. 53 in the live rankings, mirrors Gauff’s own breakthrough as a teenager. The Canadian’s 50-9 record in 2025, including five ITF titles, signals her arrival as a force. As Gauff looks to regroup for Cincinnati and the US Open, her Montreal milestone remains a testament to her elite status, even as Mboko’s upset stole the headlines. “I just felt like I could do better today,” Gauff reflected, already setting her sights on redemption.
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