In one respect, the 2025 edition of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers hasn’t gone the way Coco Gauff would have hoped.
While the top seed in Montreal reached the fourth round, a key component of her game isn’t clicking. You only need to take a quick glance at the stats to figure out what it is – her serve.
In her two wins after a bye, Gauff has coughed up 37 double faults. Twenty-three came against Danielle Collins before 14 more surfaced against Veronika Kudermetova on Thursday in another three-setter. Five came in one game late in the opening set against Kudermetova.
Not one to show too much frustration when things aren’t working, Gauff (gently) tossed her racquet following one double against Kudermetova.
One serve bounced before it got to the net and another almost landed wide of the doubles alley. Against Collins, one almost hit her fellow American on the fly.
Gauff did lead the women’s tour in double faults entering Montreal this season, but her average was only around six per outing.
She was – understandably – a little down when meeting with reporters on Thursday.
“I don't want to lead that stat, and I want to do better,” said Gauff, still genial despite the serving struggle. “I know I probably won't be ever double fault-free, but if I could get that to 2%, 3% (of her serves), it would make a big difference in just making these matches a lot easier. The fact that I'm winning matches and finding ways to win with that is definitely a positive.”
“But I'm a tough critic on myself. I know I can do better, and I know I should do better. It will get better. It's just a matter of time.”
Collins and Kudermetova like to attack second serves and Gauff admitted that their styles might have prompted a few extra double faults but not the excess we’re seeing so far at IGA Stadium.
“I will say more so against Danielle,” said Gauff. “I was definitely thinking about it, but it's still not an excuse to hit double digits in double faults. Those things can cause maybe three or four more extra, but that many is definitely…I don't think plays that much of a factor.
“(Thursday) it was a little bit better, but it's still not good. Yeah, I don't think it plays that much of a factor. I think it's just more so of a "me" thing.”

Photo: Mathieu Bélanger
Irking Gauff further was that she skipped the tournament in Washington, D.C. last week to fine tune the serve.
“I am so disappointed in myself when it comes to that part of the game just because I didn't play D.C. to work on that and made changes to that and doing well in practice and serving really well in practice,” said the 21-year-old. “So I just would like for it to transfer to the match.
“It does give positives that, okay, I'm winning these matches having literally like one part of my game on a crutch. So it's like if I can stand on both feet, then I can only imagine that it would be a lot more straightforward and a lot easier for me.”
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka herself has dealt with double faults, particularly during a tough stretch at the start of the 2022 in Australia. In six matches, Sabalenka produced 95 doubles.
They haven’t completely disappeared but improving that part of her game has helped Sabalenka – beaten by Gauff in similar fashion in two Grand Slam finals – amass three majors.
Gauff said that when she played doubles on Wednesday with McCartney Kessler, no double faults came.
“I just would like to serve how I do in doubles in singles, but that was the reason to play is just to give myself pressure moments,” she said.
“I feel more pressure serving in doubles than in singles because I don't want to sit here and give the match away for my partner. So I'm trying to take that mentality into singles, but it's not so easy.”
Her next chance to rectify things in singles comes in a tussle home fans will especially be looking forward to. Gauff, for the second time in 2025, meets Toronto’s Victoria Mboko.
Mboko has taken the tournament by storm to continue her breakout campaign, blasting winners from all parts of the court.
Gauff needed three sets to account for Mboko on clay in Rome in May and continues to be impressed with the 18-year-old’s game.
“She's definitely playing like one of the top players in the world right now. Her ranking will definitely match that soon,” said Gauff, who has been one of the top players for years.