Tennis sensation Coco Gauff showcased true sportsmanship after her first-round victory in the Italian Open 2025. The American stalwart has sent a motivational message to her opponent, Victoria Mboko, after her stellar Round of 64 win in the Rome Masters 1000 tournament. The 18-year-old star player suffered an exit from the tournament despite taking the lead in the first set of the game.
The young Canadian star stunned the tennis fraternity when she won the opening set against the world number three. However, the WTA failed to continue her form in the next set, which allowed Gauff to prevail over her to level up the game. The USA star continued her form in the decider, dominated her pace, and gained an advantage over her opponent's unforced errors to win this game by 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in an epic three-setter clash.
However, Coco Gauff seems to have noticed the strength of her opponent and was seen encouraging the Canadian star with kind words at the moment when the duo came to share a handshake right after the match. The fans have hailed this sportsmanship gesture of Gauff.
"Keep your head up, okay? You did great," Coco Gauff said.
Coco Gauff lauds Victoria Mboko after defeating her in the Italian Open 2025
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff also hailed her opponent's game plan in the post-match interview. Coco Gauff talked about how she staged her comeback in the last two sets and how her opponent posed a big threat in this match.
“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. 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,” Coco Gauff said.
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