In the vibrant arena of Montreal’s National Bank Open, the tennis world witnessed a seismic upset on August 2, 2025, as 18-year-old Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko stunned top seed and world No. 2 Coco Gauff in a swift 6-1, 6-4 defeat. The 62-minute thrashing marked a low point in Gauff’s North American hard-court swing, amplifying concerns about her ongoing struggles following a lackluster grass season. The two-time Grand Slam champion, fresh off her 2025 French Open triumph, opened up about her loss to the rising teen, rejecting comparisons to her own meteoric rise while acknowledging Mboko’s fearless performance. “No, she’s a completely different player, a completely different person,” Gauff said, dismissing parallels to her own breakthrough at 15. “I彼此
Mboko, ranked No. 85 and playing in front of a raucous home crowd that included UFC icon Georges St-Pierre, displayed remarkable poise, saving all five break points she faced while converting four of five against Gauff. “Coming into this match, I was so locked in,” Mboko said, her composure evident as she relentlessly targeted Gauff’s forehand, a known vulnerability. “I tried to keep my composure as much as I could playing in front of so many people. A very special experience for me.” Her victory made her the youngest Canadian to reach the tournament’s quarterfinals in nearly four decades, a milestone Gauff herself achieved three years prior. Mboko’s team provided visible encouragement, with the teenager noting, “They were just giving me ease and comforting me while I was on court. I just wanted to stay as solid as possible and play fearless tennis.”
Gauff’s performance was marred by familiar issues: a faltering serve and a staggering 50% first-serve percentage, compounded by three double faults in the opening set alone. The 21-year-old American, who had battled through grueling three-set matches against Danielle Collins and Veronika Kudermetova earlier in the tournament, appeared flat from the start. “I haven’t played the best this tournament, so I knew that it would be tough,” Gauff admitted. “I just felt like I could do better today, but I also knew that if I took my foot off the gas a little bit, that she would take advantage of those moments, and she did.” Her frustration was palpable as she tossed her racket in the second set, a rare outburst for the typically composed star.
This loss adds to Gauff’s challenging 2025 season, despite her earlier successes. After a stellar clay campaign, where she won the French Open by defeating Aryna Sabalenka and reached finals in Madrid and Rome, Gauff faltered on grass, exiting in the first round at Wimbledon to Dayana Yastremska. Her serve, a persistent Achilles’ heel, has been a focal point of concern. After serving 23 double faults against Collins and 14 against Kudermetova, Gauff expressed hope for improvement. “Maybe it was better to get more matches under my belt,” she said, looking ahead to Cincinnati and the US Open. “It’s the first tournament on the hard court season, so I’m hoping that in Cincy and in New York I can find that rhythm.”
Mboko, born in Charlotte, North Carolina, but raised in Toronto, has been a rising star since her junior days, reaching Grand Slam junior doubles finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Her 2025 season, with 42 wins and four ITF titles, culminated in this career-defining moment, making her the first Canadian to reach the Canadian Open quarterfinals since Bianca Andreescu. As Gauff prepares to regroup, Mboko’s fearless display signals her arrival as a formidable force, leaving fans eager for her quarterfinal clash against either Zhu Lin or Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
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