Coco Gauff Powers On as Serving Woes and Broadcast Scandal Fail to Derail Montreal Run

Top-seeded Coco Gauff is through to the fourth round of the National Bank Open in Montreal. She has overcome both persistent serving issues and an unexpected broadcast controversy to stay on track for another deep tournament run.

The 21-year-old American, currently ranked world No. 2, defeated Russia's Veronika Kudermetova in three sets with 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. This despite committing a total of 14 double faults in the match.

Her tally now stands at 37 double faults across two rounds. This is a statistic that has drawn attention across the tennis world, particularly ahead of next month's US Open.

Comeback on Court

After falling behind early against Kudermetova, Gauff mounted a determined comeback that turned a shaky performance into a convincing win. She was down a set and a break when the Roland-Garros champion found her rhythm late in the second set.

She relied on her footwork and baseline consistency to force errors from Kudermetova. The Russian's own form, meanwhile, dipped as the match wore on. Gauff closed the match by winning eight straight points to start the final set, asserting control over a previously unpredictable contest.

'I mean the goal is to survive and advance—we all know it's not my best but it's good enough for today,' Gauff said after the match. 'Mentally, I'm very proud of myself. There's obviously parts of my game I'm working on, one of them being the serve.'

Serving Struggles Continue

The most notable concern remains Gauff's first serve. In her opening match, she committed 23 double faults against fellow American Danielle Collins, scraping through in a three-set tiebreak after nearly three hours on court.

Analysts have pointed to irregularities in her ball toss and inconsistent technique between slice and kick serves, especially during high-stakes moments in matches.

Despite these struggles, Gauff has now improved her 2025 three-set record to 9-1. This underlines her resilience and tactical flexibility under pressure.

Commenting on her recent performances, former champion Lindsay Davenport said she was 'stunned' by Gauff's ability to win despite playing what she described as 'C-level tennis', adding: 'She did a fantastic job managing her emotions,' during tight situations in her match against Collins.

Off-Court Distraction

However, Gauff's second-round match did not unfold entirely between the lines. A commentator's inappropriate on-air remark during the Gauff vs. Kudermetova match sparked immediate backlash across social media.

The commentator referenced a private conversation involving Kudermetova and a Danish top-10 player, drawing criticism for straying into personal and speculative commentary during an intense match. The controversy quickly overshadowed much of the in-game discussion, though neither Gauff nor Kudermetova has publicly addressed the incident.

Despite the surrounding media noise, Gauff's focus appeared unaffected on court, suggesting a growing maturity in managing external pressure.

Looking Ahead

With Aryna Sabalenka withdrawing from the tournament due to fatigue, Gauff now remains the highest seed left in the women's draw. She will next face either Victoria Mboko of Canada or Czech Marie Bouzkova in the round of 16.

The result keeps Gauff firmly in contention as the US Open approaches, though her continued progress may depend on whether she can resolve her ongoing service issues.

For now, Coco Gauff remains in the spotlight, not only for her title hopes, but for how she handles the challenges that come with them.