Can Coco Gauff Overcome Kudermetova in Montreal?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Coco Gauff showcased remarkable resilience in her match against Kudermetova.
- The victory marks Gauff's fifth consecutive advancement to the Round of 16 at the Canadian Open.
- Gauff is the youngest player since Justine Henin to achieve 10 career match-wins at this tournament.
- Victoria Mboko is emerging as a significant talent in women's tennis.
- Gauff's next match against Mboko promises to be an exciting encounter.
Montreal, Aug 1 (NationPress) Top seed Coco Gauff staged a remarkable comeback from a set and a break down, ultimately securing a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory against Veronika Kudermetova to advance to the Round of 16 for the fifth consecutive time at the Canadian Open.
The 21-year-old Gauff has now become the youngest player to achieve 10 career match-wins at this tournament since Justine Henin in 2003.
Initially, Gauff had a commanding lead of 4-1 in the first set, but it slipped away when she faced challenges, including multiple double faults. Kudermetova capitalized on these errors, hitting powerful groundstrokes to clinch the first set.
In the second set, Gauff struggled with her serve, resulting in three double faults in the first game, giving Kudermetova a solid lead. However, Gauff displayed her tenacity, leveling the match with a stunning forehand return winner as the set progressed.
Despite facing break points in crucial moments of her service games, Gauff managed to hold on, finally taking the second set when Kudermetova faltered.
With momentum on her side, Gauff quickly established a lead in the final set, breaking Kudermetova at love and ultimately finishing the match with a successful 5-for-10 break point conversion rate.
Meanwhile, Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko triumphed over Czech player Marie Bouzkova with a score of 1-6, 6-3, 6-0, marking her first appearance in the fourth round of a WTA 1000 event.
Mboko joins the ranks of notable 18-year-olds like Belinda Bencic, Catherine Cartan Bellis, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff, who have all reached the Round of 16 in Canada over the past decade, with Gauff being her next challenger.