Teen Sensation Victoria Mboko Stuns top Seed Coco Gauff at Canadian Open
Montreal, Canada – In a stunning upset that has sent ripples through the tennis world, 18-year-old Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko has defeated top seed Coco Gauff to advance to the quarter-finals of the Canadian Open. The unseeded teenager delivered a dominant performance, needing just 62 minutes to dispatch the two-time Grand Slam champion with a decisive 6-1, 6-4 victory.
Mboko, who began the year ranked a modest 333rd, has been on a remarkable ascent. Her win over Gauff, a formidable opponent, marks a significant milestone in her burgeoning career. The young Canadian showcased extraordinary composure and skill, converting four of her five break point opportunities and dropping only one set across her four matches in the tournament. This victory is expected to propel her ranking from 85th to 53rd in the world.
“Coming into the match, I was so locked in,” Mboko shared after her triumphant performance. “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.” Her journey to this point has been characterized by an impressive 22 consecutive match wins without dropping a set on the second-tier ITF Tour, culminating in five titles this year.
In the quarter-finals, Mboko is set to face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who holds a ranking just two places above her. Meanwhile, Gauff, who struggled with her serve throughout the match, committing six double faults to bring her tournament total to 43, acknowledged Mboko’s talent. “I think she’s going to have a lot of success on tour. I’m sure we’re going to have many more battles in the future,” Gauff commented.
Elsewhere in the tournament, second seed Iga Swiatek advanced smoothly into the last 16 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Eva Lys. On the men’s side in Toronto, Casper ruud faced a 6-4, 7-5 defeat against Karen Khachanov, while top seed Alexander Zverev received a walkover into the quarter-finals against francisco Cerundolo. Fifth seed Holger Rune experienced a setback, losing 6-4, 2-6, 3-6 to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin after squandering an early lead.
