Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 and top seed at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal, suffered a stunning 6-1, 6-4 loss to 18-year-old Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko in the fourth round on August 2, 2025, ending her singles campaign in just 62 minutes. In her post-match press conference, Gauff firmly shut down comparisons between herself and Mboko, who earned her first top-10 win and advanced to her maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal. When asked if she saw herself in the rising Canadian star, Gauff responded, “No, she’s a completely different player, completely different person. I’ve never been one to compare myself to others, whether it be like people comparing me to Serena or Venus, and I don’t think it’s fair to put that on her as well,” per Tennis365. She added, “I do see someone who is going to have a really bright future, for sure,” praising Mboko’s athleticism, ball-striking, and positive demeanor on court.
Gauff’s defeat, marked by 24 unforced errors and five double faults, came despite earlier wins over Danielle Collins (7-5, 4-6, 7-6) and Veronika Kudermetova, where she struggled with 37 and 14 double faults, respectively. Mboko, ranked No. 85, capitalized on Gauff’s inconsistency, saving all four break points and not dropping a single service game, a feat no player had achieved against Gauff in 2025, per CBC Sports. The Canadian, who took Gauff to three sets in Rome earlier this year, reflected, “I had flashbacks to when I played her in Rome. I wanted to step my game up and match whatever she was producing,” per ESPN.
Despite the loss, Gauff remained gracious, noting Mboko’s strong support system and expressing hope for future battles: “I’ve spoken to her a little bit since Rome. She has a great support system, and I look forward to playing her again,” per Sportskeeda. The defeat drops Gauff to 2-3 since her French Open title, with early exits in Berlin and Wimbledon, highlighting ongoing serve issues, as noted by Sky Sports. Posts on X, like @TheTennisLetter’s, lauded Mboko’s “power & talent” and “poise at such a young age,” while @TennisONEApp called it a “star is born moment”.
Gauff now shifts focus to doubles with Jelena Ostapenko at the Canadian Open and the upcoming Cincinnati Open, aiming to regain form before defending her 2023 US Open title. Mboko, the second-youngest Canadian to reach a WTA 1000 quarterfinal since 1990, faces Jessica Bouzas Maneiro next, with her live ranking soaring to No. 53.
