Coco Gauff has very rare opportunity at the Canadian Open but there is danger lurking ahead

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Coco Gauff is in with a great chance of winning the Canadian Open, as she searches for her first WTA 1000 title of the season.

Returning to action after losing her first-round match at Wimbledon, Gauff took on her fellow American Danielle Collins in her opening match at the Canadian Open.

Despite making a season-high 23 double faults, Gauff scraped through to beat Collins 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, to book her spot in round three.

Entering the tournament as the number one seed, Gauff was a big favorite to win the Canadian Open.

After the first few days of action in Montreal, Gauff’s position as favorite has been solidified, although there could be trouble lurking ahead…

Coco Gauff won’t have to play a seed before the Canadian Open semifinals

Seeded players have struggled at the Canadian Open this week, as seven players, placed in sections one and two of the draw, have been knocked out.

• [7] Jasmine Paolini lost to Aoi Ito
• [12] Ekaterina Alexandrova lost to Zhu Lin
• [14] Diana Shnaider lost to Marie Bouzkova
• [18] Beatriz Haddad Maia lost to Suzan Lamens
• [23] Sofia Kenin lost to Victoria Mboko
• [26] Ashlyn Krueger lost to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
• [29] Olga Danilovic lost to Veronika Kudermetova

Therefore, Gauff won’t have to play a seeded player until the semifinals, where she could potentially come up against the number-four seed Mirra Andreeva.

Standing between Gauff and a potential semifinal showdown with Andreeva are several lower-ranked players, although one teenage star could cause her some real problems.

• 3R v Veronika Kudermetova
• 4R v Victoria Mboko/Marie Bouzkova
• QF v Zhu Lin/Suzan Lamens/Jessica Bouzas Maneiro/Aoi Ito

Home-favorite Victoria Mboko has been mightily impressive in Montreal, defeating Kimberly Birrell and Sofia Kenin en route to the third round on her tournament debut.

The 18-year-old is ranked 85th in the world, but has shown her potential throughout the year, and has already tested Gauff in 2025.

Mboko played Gauff in the first round of the Italian Open on clay and stunned the American by taking the first set 6-3.

She was, however, unable to hold on to the advantage, as Gauff came through a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 winner in Rome.

Whilst Mboko didn’t get the win on that occasion, she certainly proved she has what it takes to compete with the very best on the WTA Tour.

If Gauff can get past Veronika Kudermetova in her third round match and Mboko can beat Marie Bouzkova in hers, who’s to say the Canadian can’t cause the world number two more problems the second time around?

Gauff will certainly hope to extend her head-to-head lead to 2-0 should they meet again, as she searches for her first WTA 1000 title of 2025.

Coco Gauff’s near-misses at WTA 1000 events this year

The 21-year-old has yet to win a WTA 1000 title this year, despite reaching two finals.

Losing out to Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid and to Jasmine Paolini in Rome, Gauff finished as runner-up two tournaments in a row.

Gauff will be desperately hoping to right the wrongs of Madrid and Rome in Canada, as she looks to become the fifth player to win a WTA 1000 title in 2025.

• 2025 Qatar Open – Amanda Anisimova
• 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships – Mirra Andreeva
• 2025 Indian Wells – Mirra Andreeva (2)
• 2025 Miami Open – Aryna Sabalenka
• 2025 Madrid Open – Aryna Sabalenka (2)
• 2025 Italian Open – Jasmine Paolini

She last won a title at the WTA 1000 level eight months ago, when Gauff defeated Karolina Muchova in the final of the China Open.

Only time will tell if Gauff can win her third WTA 1000 title in Montreal, but she won’t want to get too far ahead of herself as she first focuses on her third-round match.

Gauff will take on Kudermetova for a place in the Canadian Open fourth round on Thursday, July 31.