'I felt like playing myself': Coco Gauff saw mirroring image in Victoria Mboko during roller-coaster win

Coco Gauff was given a scare by rising Victoria Mboko during her opening match at the Rome Open and said that she sees herself in the Canadian.

Mboko won her maiden WTA level match at the Miami Open in March. She had to come through qualifying in Rome but she has pedigree having dominated the ITF Tour earlier this season before her run at the Miami Open.

The 18-year-old took the opening set 6-3 before the American hit back to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. Gauff claimed nine breaks of serve but Mboko converted six out of seven break points before succumbing to double faults.

“Obviously the last two sets were a lot better. It was tough finding, like, my rhythm. I find the conditions are so much slower than Madrid. I felt it was impossible to hit a winner,” Gauff said.

“Victoria played great tennis. She forced me to play like that. So full credit to her.

“I was pretty composed because I felt like I was playing the right way in the first, just not necessarily connecting on some shots. I just felt like if I just started to land more balls in, it would go my way.

But she also keyed in on praise of Mboko saying she saw herself in the Canadian. “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.

“Like 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.

“For sure in the movement. I felt like playing myself because I feel like I move pretty well, she moves very well.

“But she obviously has a great game, so I don’t want to say her game is like mine. For sure on the movement, I would say she’s up there with me on that.

“As far as the other parts of her game, she’s obviously a big hitter, can play well, moves pretty well, has a nice backhand, same on the forehand."