Coco Gauff overcomes serving struggles to clinch gritty win at National Bank Open – first victory since French Open title

Coco Gauff battled through a turbulent service game and a determined opponent to earn her first victory since lifting the French Open title in June. The 20-year-old American tennis star overcame fellow countrywoman Danielle Collins in a hard-fought 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) win on Tuesday night in the second round of the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal.

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The nearly three-hour encounter marked Gauff’s return to the WTA Tour following a disappointing early exit from Wimbledon. Her performance in Montreal was a blend of brilliance and anxiety, as she struggled with consistency on her serve — notching an eye-popping 23 double-faults during the match. Yet, her resilience and baseline dominance proved decisive against Collins, who pushed Gauff to the brink in what turned out to be one of the tournament’s early thrillers.

A Test of Mental Fortitude

Gauff, who holds the top seed position in the tournament following the withdrawal of world number one Aryna Sabalenka, appeared to be adjusting her serving mechanics, a decision that may have contributed to her inconsistency. Despite repeatedly missing her first serves and gifting Collins easy points, the U.S. Open champion held firm when it mattered most, closing out the final-set tiebreak with poise and authority.

“It was a frustrating match for me,” Gauff admitted during her post-match press conference. “I’ve been training well, but I wasn’t able to fully translate that onto the court today. Hopefully, this was my roughest performance, and I can build momentum from here.”

The stats tell a story of their own: 23 double-faults, multiple break points faced, and numerous missed opportunities. Still, Gauff ended the match with a service ace, a reminder of the power and potential she brings to the court when her game clicks.

Tuesday’s match was Gauff’s first since her early Wimbledon exit in the first round, a result that raised questions about her post-Roland Garros form. Having taken time off to reset mentally and rework her serve, Gauff entered Montreal aiming to re-establish her rhythm and confidence ahead of the US Open Series.

Her matchup against Collins proved to be an emotional rollercoaster. The 2022 Australian Open finalist applied relentless pressure and capitalized on Gauff’s errant serves throughout the match. Collins claimed the second set and looked poised to cause an upset, but Gauff dug deep in the final set, relying on her athleticism, defensive strength, and forehand accuracy to swing the tide in her favor.

Road Ahead in Montreal

Gauff now advances to the third round of the National Bank Open, where she will face Veronika Kudermetova, a player known for her aggressive return game. To progress further in the tournament, the young American will need to drastically improve her service consistency and reduce her double-fault count.

Despite the rough patches, Gauff remained upbeat. “I still have a lot of energy left,” she said. “I just need to clean up my serve, and I could probably save a lot of time and stress out there.”

Gauff’s ongoing service challenges have become a recurring theme in her career, especially in high-stakes matches. Last year, her U.S. Open title defense ended in the fourth round after a similar struggle, where she logged 19 double-faults in a loss to Emma Navarro. Tuesday’s 23 double-faults now stand as a career-high in a single match, a statistic Gauff will be eager to keep in the past.

Eye on the US Open

With the 2025 US Open less than a month away, all eyes are on Gauff to see if she can fine-tune her game and replicate the form that brought her Grand Slam glory earlier this year in Paris. A strong run in Montreal would be a timely boost for the American, who is among the favorites for the Flushing Meadows title.