Top Seed Gauff Battles Through to Reach WTA Montreal Fourth Round

World No. 2 Coco Gauff demonstrated her trademark resilience once again on Thursday, overcoming early setbacks to reach the fourth round of the WTA Canadian Open in Montreal. The top-seeded American, fresh off her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, came from a set and a break down to defeat former world No. 9 Veronika Kudermetova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Despite persistent issues with her serve, Gauff kept her composure under pressure to secure the win.

“The goal of the game is to survive and advance,” said Gauff.
“It’s not my best, but it was good enough for today and that’s all I can ask for.”

Gauff vs Kudermetova: Match Summary

Serving Stats

Gauff had previously suffered first-round exits at both Wimbledon and Berlin, following her French Open win. Her first-round match in Montreal was a shaky affair, featuring 23 double faults against Danielle Collins, but she managed to survive.

Against Kudermetova, Gauff again had a shaky start, losing five consecutive games after leading 4-1 in the opening set and dropping serve to start the second. However, she rebounded impressively, breaking back and securing control in the decider.

“Mentally, I’m very proud of myself,” she said.
“The fact that I’m winning these matches not feeling my best is definitely something to be proud of.”

Her frustration with serving woes was evident:

“I skipped Washington to work on my serve and I felt like I made progress — I just would like for it to transfer to the match.”

Next Up: Victoria Mboko

Gauff will now face 18-year-old Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko, who stunned Czech player Marie Bouzkova 1-6, 6-3, 6-0. The American is aware of the threat Mboko poses, having gone to three sets with her in Rome earlier this year.

“She’s definitely playing like one of the top players in the world right now,” Gauff commented.

Mboko vs Bouzkova: Match Timeline

Bouzkova was visibly hindered in the latter stages by a thigh injury, which required treatment and clearly affected her movement.

McCartney Kessler Stuns Mirra Andreeva

American McCartney Kessler delivered a notable upset, ousting world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. The 18-year-old Russian, who had earlier made headlines with back-to-back WTA 1000 wins this year, looked strong early but faltered in critical moments.

Kessler will now face Marta Kostyuk, who defeated Daria Kasatkina in a marathon encounter.

Kostyuk vs Kasatkina

Additional Results

As the Canadian Open unfolds, a mix of breakthrough performances and returning stars continues to create an electrifying atmosphere in Montreal. All eyes will now be on Gauff as she seeks to steady her serve and maintain momentum heading toward the business end of the tournament.