Coco Gauff is through to the third round of the Italian Open after defeating Victoria Mboko over three sets 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
Gauff had an early scare going a set down to the Canadian, but managed to reset and dominated the last two sets to emerge victorious on Centre Court.
The world number three is pursuing her first title of the season at the Italian Open, after Gauff came up short in the Madrid Open final, falling to Aryna Sabalenka.
18-year-old Mboko, who currently sits 156th in the WTA rankings, put up a good fight against the former US Open champion, and was studied by Gauff prior to the match.
Coco Gauff says she knew Victoria Mboko was going to play great tennis
Following her second-round victory at the Foro Italico sports complex, Gauff said: “It was a tough match.”
“She came out playing some great tennis. I knew she was going to do that from watching some of her previous matches.”
“Overall I was happy with how I was able to step up my game. I wasn’t playing so well in the first set and on top of that she was playing great tennis but I was able to reset.”
Mboko was victorious in the Italian Open qualifiers and won her first round match in convincing fashion, defeating home hope Italian Arianna Zucchini 6-2, 6-3.
The young star also had an impressive WTA 1000 debut in March, where she took 10th seed Paula Badosa to three sets in a closely contested second-round bout.
Her conqueror will now face world number 32 Magda Linette in the third round, who beat Gauff at the Miami Open.
Coco Gauff’s potential route to the Italian Open final
With an opening victory clinched at the Italian Open, Gauff will look to advance further in her side of the draw.
Should she overcome Linette, potential opponents in the Round of 16 come in the form of world number 17 Amanda Anisimova, and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
A quarter-final appearance could see her up against former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, Emma Navarro, or 18-year-old Mira Andreeva.
Gauff’s semi-final in the Eternal City could be a Madrid Open rematch against Sabalenka, who looks favourable to emerge from her quarter of the draw.
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