Canadian Teen Sensation Victoria Mboko Stuns Coco Gauff in Montreal

Wildcard Star Knocks Out Top Seed to Reach Canadian Open Quarter-Finals

Victoria Mboko announced herself to the tennis world in spectacular fashion on Wednesday night, producing the upset of the Canadian Open so far by dismantling top seed Coco Gauff in straight sets.

The 18-year-old Canadian, playing in her home tournament courtesy of a wildcard, needed just 62 minutes to sweep past the two-time Grand Slam champion 6-1, 6-4 in front of a raucous Montreal crowd. For Mboko, it was not only the biggest win of her career but a statement performance that showcased her fearlessness, composure, and the raw power that has propelled her rapid rise up the rankings this season.

Locked In From the Start

Canadian teen Mboko stuns top-seeded Gauff in Montreal

Mboko, currently ranked No. 85 in the world, came into the match with nothing to lose but quickly made it clear she was not just there to make up the numbers. She broke Gauff’s serve twice in a dominant opening set, converting four of her five break point opportunities over the course of the match.

“Coming into the match, I was so locked in,” Mboko said afterwards. “I tried to keep my composure as much as I could, especially playing in front of so many people. This is a very special experience for me.”

That composure was evident in the closing stages of the second set, when Gauff began to find some rhythm. The Canadian teenager held her ground, mixing aggressive baseline hitting with smart changes of pace to keep the American off balance.

A Meteoric Rise

This time last year, Mboko was ranked outside the world’s top 300. She began 2024 at No. 333, but an extraordinary run of form on the ITF Tour saw her win 22 consecutive matches without dropping a set, collecting five titles along the way.

Her victory over Gauff will see her projected to climb to No. 53 in the rankings—a staggering leap for a player still in her first full year on the WTA Tour. Next up, she faces Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, ranked just two places above her, in what will be her first WTA 1000 quarter-final.

Gauff’s Serving Struggles Continue

While Mboko fully deserved her win, Gauff’s ongoing issues with her serve were impossible to ignore. The American committed six double faults in the match, taking her total to a staggering 43 across her three matches in Montreal.

Her first serve percentage also fluctuated wildly, allowing Mboko to attack second serves and dictate rallies from the first shot.

Despite the loss, Gauff was gracious in defeat and complimentary of her opponent. “I think she’s going to have a lot of success on tour,” she said. “I’m sure we’re going to have many more battles in the future.”

Swiatek Cruises, Ruud and Rune Fall

In other women’s action, second seed Iga Swiatek continued her serene progress with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Germany’s Eva Lys to reach the last 16. The world No. 1 looked in complete control from start to finish, extending her impressive summer hard-court form.

On the men’s side, there were mixed fortunes for the top seeds in Toronto. Casper Ruud’s campaign came to an abrupt end with a 6-4, 7-5 defeat to Russia’s Karen Khachanov. Top seed Alexander Zverev progressed to the quarter-finals without hitting a ball after Francisco Cerúndolo was forced to withdraw.

Elsewhere, fifth seed Holger Rune suffered a surprising collapse, letting slip an early lead before falling 6-4, 2-6, 3-6 to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin.

The Road Ahead

For Mboko, the victory over Gauff is a career-defining moment, but she is determined not to let it be her last headline of the week. Bouzas Maneiro, while ranked higher, will present a very different style of challenge, and the home crowd in Montreal will once again be firmly behind the young Canadian.

If she can maintain the same aggressive intent and mental focus, Mboko’s remarkable summer could yet produce more shocks—and perhaps even a fairytale run to the Canadian Open title.

As for Gauff, the loss will prompt some soul-searching ahead of the US Open later this month. Her return game remains among the best in the world, but the serving woes that resurfaced in Montreal will need to be addressed quickly if she is to mount a serious challenge in New York.

For now, though, this is Mboko’s moment—a fearless teenager who just toppled one of the game’s brightest stars on one of its biggest stages, in her own backyard.