Coco Gauff praised late Wimbledon entrant who she sees herself in: ‘She’s playing top-level’

Mboko wasn’t far from the main draw anyway. She had come through two rounds of qualifying before falling just short against Priscilla Hon. Instead of turning around and heading home, she stayed in London – and now she’ll step onto Wimbledon’s grass for the first time in her career.

Her opponent won’t provide an easy start. Magdalena Frech, the No. 25 seed, stands between Mboko and a memorable victory. But there’s no pressure. She’s playing with house money – a free swing in front of a crowd ready to find new favourites.

Big stages haven’t overwhelmed Mboko so far. She reached the third round of the French Open in her Grand Slam debut, taking out Lulu Sun and Eva Lys before falling to world No. 8 Qinwen Zheng.

Victoria Mboko praised by world No. 2 Coco Gauff

It’s not just the rankings that make her story interesting – it’s how established players already speak about her. The No. 2 in the WTA rankings, Coco Gauff, didn’t shy away from praise after their match at the Italian Open in early May.

“First, I saw her Miami Open. I didn’t know much about her before, but I’ve been following her since Miami. I think she’s a great player. I knew it was going to be a tough match,” the American star said, as reported by The Express.

“The ranking difference looks different, but she’s playing top-level tennis. I approached the match that way. It’s not a case of underestimation. I knew she was going to come out there and play great. Maybe I psyched myself out a little bit in the first set.

“In the movement, I felt like I was playing myself because I feel like I move pretty well, and she moves very well. She has a great game, so I don’t want to say her game is like mine. But for sure, in movement, I would say she’s up there with me on that.”

Mboko may have entered through the back door, but that’s exactly how many careers begin. And with Gauff already tipping her as one to watch, it won’t take much for the crowds – and the cameras – to start following.

Her debut match wasn’t just something she earned – it was something the tournament needed. Sometimes, the best stories don’t come through the front gate. Sometimes, they wait outside until someone opens the door, then rush right in.