Coco Gauff’s true nightmare took form in Montreal. Before her matchup with 18-year-old Canadian talent Victoria Mboko, the French Open queen had initially mentioned that “it would be a tough” encounter, having faced the WTA rising sensation once at the Italian Open. But this was different. It was beyond just difficult. Gauff expected Mboko to put up a tough fight; what she didn’t foresee was her own dismissal at the hands of the teenager. Much like a younger version of Gauff herself. The ordeal lasted a meagre 62 minutes. Mboko cruised through the fourth-round battle before wrapping it up like any ordinary match.

In what can be called a total domination, the Canadian didn’t give the 21-year-old American any chance. After snatching the first set 6-1, she hardly faced any obstacles in completing the match in straight sets. With a final scoreline of 6-1, 6-4, she’s now become the first Canadian ever to beat a No.1 seed at the WTA Montreal event. Not to mention she is also now into her maiden 1000-level quarterfinal.

With the latest result, Mboko has become the second youngest player to defeat Gauff after Diana Shnaider. The latter bested the World No.2 last season in this very same event, according to OptaAce. Interestingly, she’s now also the second youngest quarterfinalist in Montreal since Gauff herself, who achieved the feat three years ago during the 2022 edition.

Mboko controlled the narrative from the very beginning. Coming off an impressive 20-match win streak, Mboko forced Gauff’s hand by saving all 5 break points that came her way, even managing to convert 4 out of 5 break points. Coco Gauff’s second serve woes ultimately proved to be detrimental. Gauff’s tendency to rise like a phoenix against her opponents despite being a set down, failed against the tight ship that Mboko ran.

After the win, Mboko giddily loosened her grip on the racket. The shock of her victory hadn’t fully sunk in as the audience erupted into applause. The teenager didn’t have much to say: “It’s incredible, I’m so happy to beat such a great champion. That’s the bonus of playing at home, I also train here. Sometimes I’ve been hitting on the Centre Court and I used to envision myself playing the Canadian Open here,” as reported by Sportsnet on August 3.

Gauff’s adverse outcome left tennis fans in disbelief. Seems like the firepower that the Canadian brought onto the court was far more superior.

Coco Gauff catches flak from fans over defeat against Mboko

One fan didn’t hold back, writing, “Coco Gauff forever having trouble against powerful players. Mboko taking her to task right now and Coco has zero answers. Kind of alarming for the #2 in the world to not be able to adjust.” Their interpretation was clear: the American star struggles against strong, aggressive opponents and often finds herself unable to adapt mid-match, leaving her exposed.

Then came the inevitable questions about the most troubling aspect of her game—her serve. “I really would like someone to explain what is the issue with Coco Gauff serving…”, wrote another fan, puzzled by her recurring double faults.

Against Mboko, Coco Gauff registered six double faults, bringing her tournament total to a staggering 43. In her first two matches alone, she had already notched 37, largely due to inconsistent and inaccurate serving. Frustration boiled over among viewers, with one fan writing, “Not entirely sure exactly what Coco Gauff is doing in this game…”

Another viewer was more blunt in their critique of the reigning French Open champion: “Coco Gauff forgot tennis. What is this?” they asked, reflecting widespread confusion over how Gauff failed to mount any serious challenge against the rising Canadian star. Since her breakthrough win in Paris, Gauff’s form has dipped—an early exit in Berlin, a shocking first-round loss at Wimbledon, and now another disappointing showing in Canada, casting doubt on her hard court readiness just weeks before the US Open.

As 17-year-old Mboko dismantled Gauff’s game, one fan summed it up with biting humor: “Mboko be giving Coco Gauff a headache.” Judging by the result, that statement rings more accurate than sarcastic. With this latest win, Mboko has evened their head-to-head record at 1-1.

Despite the recent setbacks, Coco Gauff still has a shot at redemption. She’ll look to regain her rhythm and confidence at the upcoming Cincinnati Open. Can she bounce back and silence the critics before the US Open? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.