Unseeded contestant Gauff recovers to advance to WTA Montreal's fourth round match
Cori Gauff's Montreal WTA Tournament Exit Marked by Serving Struggles
Cori Gauff, the top-seeded American tennis player, suffered an early exit from the Montreal WTA tournament, losing to unseeded player Victoria Mboko in the fourth round. Gauff's serve woes were a significant factor in her 6-1, 6-4 defeat.
Gauff arrived in Montreal having lost her tournament openers at Wimbledon and Berlin. Despite this, she managed to win her first match against Danielle Collins. However, her serve troubles continued, as she committed 23 double faults in her first match and 14 against her next opponent, Veronika Kudermetova, whom she managed to defeat.
Against Mboko, Gauff improved in the second set but missed crucial opportunities to break Mboko’s serve, including two chances in the seventh game that proved decisive. The match, which lasted just over an hour, saw Gauff commit a total of 33 double faults throughout the tournament, highlighting her ongoing serving inconsistencies.
Prior to facing Mboko, Gauff had shown resilience in earlier rounds, battling through tight matches despite her serve troubles. This was evident in her win over Kudermetova, where she overcame a shaky start to force a third set.
Experts and coaches have suggested specific adjustments for Gauff to refine her serve technique and reduce errors, aiming for her to regain confidence and effectiveness on this fundamental shot.
Meanwhile, other notable matches in the tournament saw Marta Kostyuk advance to the quarter-finals by beating Daria Kasatkina. Dayana Yastremska ousted eighth-seeded American Emma Navarro and will face Rybakina next. China's Zhu Lin advanced with a victory over Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands.
In another match, Jessic Bouzas advanced by beating Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito. McCartney Kessler defeated Mirra Andreeva in the third round, with Andreeva taking a medical time out for a left ankle injury during the second set. Ninth-seeded Elena Rybakina advanced to the next round by defeating Jacqueline Cristian.
Gauff's next challenge will be against 18-year-old Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko, an unseeded player ranked 85th, marking a notable upset in the tournament. Addressing her serve difficulties will be crucial for Gauff's success in upcoming events, including the US Open.
In the context of Gauff's ongoing serving troubles, attracting attention is her next opponent, 18-year-old Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko, who plays Russian language tennis, having progressed through the Montreal WTA tournament as an unseeded player. Despite her success in other areas of sports, such as her recent victory over Veronika Kudermetova, Gauff's serve inconsistencies may become pivotal in upcoming tennis matches, particularly the US Open.
