Coco Gauff will put her 4-match winning streak on the line against Katie Boulter at the Canadian Open in Montreal.
The American just finished a superb week in Washington to win the 2023 Citi Open - her biggest trophy ever. Despite having played in a Grand Slam final, the WTA 500 event is the biggest singles trophy she's ever won and it was a deserving one.
Gauff played a superb week of tennis, showcasing all of her talents against a pretty solid draw. We saw a new Gauff in ways because she brought the heat by playing very aggressive tennis. The forehand was also working consistently, and is it too soon to heap praise on Pere Riba and the work he's done so far with Gauff?
He's not been the only one, as she started working with experienced coach Brad Gilbert before this week, something that is going to continue in the coming weeks. The real test will be this match against Katie Boulter, a player who has a unique chance to extend her career-best year.
The British player won her maiden trophy on grass this year and with very few points to her name, she can further cement her position in the Top 100. A win over Gauff would create shockwaves and funnily enough it would not be the first one.
Their head-to-head so far only features one match, but it's a match that Katie Boulter actually won. It happened back in 2021 in Australia, with the Brit winning in three sets in the second round. Wins like that proved that Boulter has the necessary level, but it's taken her two years to actually start doing it on a consistent basis.
Will she do it again? There is a trend that sees champions struggle in their first match following a big trophy, but Gauff should be fine. She's far too experienced to allow herself to lose this match, though she could have some minor issues. Even so, she's too good for Boulter and pretty confident right now, so a win in two sets looks likely.
Prediction: Coco Gauff to win in two sets.