Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 and top seed at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal, delivered a raw and riveting performance on July 31, 2025, clawing her way back from the brink to defeat Veronika Kudermetova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in a third-round thriller. The 21-year-old American, still basking in the glow of her French Open triumph in June, faced a familiar foe: her own serve, which betrayed her with 14 double faults. Yet, her unyielding spirit shone through, embodying her candid post-match reflection: “The goal of the game is to survive and advance. It’s not my best, but it’s good enough for today. That’s all I can ask for.” This gritty victory, her 33rd of the season, propelled Gauff into the round of 16, keeping her hopes alive in a tournament where she’s reached the quarterfinals three times but never claimed the title.
The match was a microcosm of Gauff’s season—a blend of brilliance and struggle. She surged to a 4-1 lead in the first set, her athleticism and defensive prowess on full display. But Kudermetova, a former world No. 9, capitalized on Gauff’s seven double faults in the opener, reeling off seven straight games to snatch the set and a 2-0 lead in the second. At 1-3 down, Gauff stared down disaster, saving a break point in a tense game that felt like a turning point. “I’m so disappointed in myself when it comes to that part of the game,” she admitted later, referencing her serve, which racked up 13 double faults across the first two sets. Yet, her mental toughness, honed through years of high-pressure battles, kept her in the fight. She broke back, leveled the set, and seized the second 7-5, igniting the Centre Court crowd.
In the third set, Gauff found her footing, dropping just one double fault and breaking Kudermetova twice to close out the match in style. Her 53 unforced errors underscored the match’s messiness, but her ability to win “ugly” highlighted a champion’s resolve. “Not my best but good enough for today,” she said on court, her voice tinged with relief but no trace of complacency. This resilience echoed her second-round epic against Danielle Collins, where she overcame a staggering 23 double faults to win 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) in nearly three hours. That match, described by fans as both chaotic and captivating, saw Gauff two points from defeat before dominating the tiebreak, a testament to her knack for thriving in chaos.
Gauff’s serve remains a work in progress. After hiring grip specialist Matt Daly in 2024 to tweak her racket hold, she enjoyed a brief respite from double faults, only for the issue to resurface on hard courts, where precision is paramount. “Serving really well in practice,” she noted, “so I just would like for it to transfer to the match.” Her clay-court success, including the French Open title over Aryna Sabalenka, allowed her to mask these flaws with her relentless defense and topspin-heavy groundstrokes. But as she prepares for the US Open starting August 24, where she’ll defend her 2023 crown, Gauff knows her serve must stabilize. Her 9-1 record in three-set matches this season, including this latest escape, proves she can win despite imperfections, but a smoother path lies in refining her delivery.
Next, Gauff faces the winner of Victoria Mboko and Marie Bouzkova, with a wide-open draw offering a chance to go deep in Montreal. Her candid reflection after the Collins match—“I was practicing well and then I don’t think I transferred it”—reveals a player aware of her gaps but buoyed by her ability to grind out wins. For Gauff, survival is an art form, and her Montreal campaign is a masterclass in perseverance, setting the stage for a compelling hard-court swing as she chases more glory in New York.
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