In the wake of her surprising defeat at the hands of Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, World No. 3 Coco Gauff took a moment to address the growing comparisons between the two. The American star, however, dismissed the idea of drawing parallels and urged fans and media alike not to force such narratives on the rising Canadian.
Mboko stuns Gauff in Montreal
On Tuesday, 18-year-old Victoria Mboko secured the biggest win of her young career by defeating top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 in the round of 16 at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal. Dominating the match with poise beyond her years, Mboko converted four of her five break points and saved all five break chances Coco Gauff created, announcing herself on the big stage in style.
The victory was not just a personal milestone for the Canadian — who started the 2025 season ranked No. 333 — but it also guaranteed her a place inside the world’s top 55 for the first time, following a season that has already seen her win five ITF titles.
Coco Gauff rejects comparisons
With the tennis world buzzing, inevitable comparisons began to surface between Victoria Mboko’s breakout and the meteoric rise of Gauff, who made headlines as a 15-year-old when she defeated Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019. But the 21-year-old American believes such comparisons do more harm than good.
“No, she's a completely different player, completely different person,” Gauff said during her press conference. “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. Yeah, but I do see someone who is going to have a really bright future, for sure.”
Praise for Mboko’s composure
While Coco Gauff rejected the comparison angle, she did take the opportunity to compliment Mboko’s style and temperament — especially noting her ability to stay mentally composed on court.
“I mean, she's very athletic. She's a great ball striker, and she seems pretty positive out there on the court, doesn't get really too negative,” Gauff observed.
This kind of mental strength, especially at such a young age, is often what separates the promising from the elite — and Gauff’s words could be an early endorsement of Victoria Mboko's potential to become a force on the WTA Tour.
Bright future ahead for Victoria Mboko
With a breakout win under her belt and confidence soaring, Victoria Mboko is quickly turning heads. Whether or not she follows a path similar to Coco Gauff, her current momentum and maturity suggest that her own journey could be just as thrilling.
As Coco Gauff rightly pointed out, every player forges their own identity — and Mboko seems ready to build hers, one powerful swing at a time.