Coco Gauff vs Victoria Mboko Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Rising star Mboko looks to challenge Gauff in Rome R2

Gauff has experienced a roller-coaster season to date, but she appears on the up again after reaching the Madrid final last week and playing her best tennis since January. But, can the American back it up in Rome, where she's twice been a losing semi-finalist to eventual champion Iga Swiatek?

It would no doubt be a shock if Gauff lost this match, but at the same time, Mboko is showing every indication that she will be contending for these sorts of titles over the next few years. The 18-year-old has put together a remarkable rise so far in 2025, climbing from outside the top 300 in the world to a live ranking of No. 136, while she pushed a top 10 player in Paula Badosa to three sets in Miami a couple of months ago.

Mboko doesn't look like a player to be overawed on the big stage against an elite opponent - I think the Canadian can push this match Over 18.5 total games and cover a big +6.5 games line.

This will be the first career meeting between the pair.

It hasn't been a great season for Gauff - she's registered a 19-7 record that was really only somewhat salvaged with her recent run in Madrid.

After making the Australian Open quarter-finals, Gauff failed to win more than two matches in a row before stepping out onto European clay, suffering disappointing and relatively early exits in Indian Wells and Miami.

However, Gauff stepped it up in Madrid, beating the likes of Belinda Bencic, Mirra Andreeva and Iga Swiatek (6-1 6-1) to reach the final, where she went down 6-3 7-6 to No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Gauff will be hoping to continue her positive momentum in Rome this week after making the 2024 semi-finals, going down to Swiatek.

It's been an extraordinary season for Mboko, who seems destined to crack the top 100 sooner rather than later.

Mboko has won 33 of her 36 matches at all levels, securing a handful of ITF titles across the early stages of 2025 before trying her hand at some tour-level events, including registering her first win over a top 100 player in Miami where she defeated Camila Osorio before taking a set off Badosa.

The 18-year-old proceeded to win two matches for Canada in Billie Jean Cup and has now successfully qualified for Rome, recording two solid victories over Cristina Bucsa and Kamilla Rakhimova.

Mboko then took care of No. 620 local wildcard Arianna Zucchini, 6-2 6-3 in the opening round of the main draw to set up this showdown with Gauff.