Iga Swiatek gets key WTA Rankings chance after Coco Gauff's Canadian Open exit

Coco Gauff’s upset defeat to Victoria Mboko at the Canadian Open has opened the door for Iga Swiatek in a key WTA Rankings battle.

The two-time major champion’s 1-6, 4-6 loss to 85th-ranked Canadian wildcard Mboko saw her exit Montreal at the last 16 stage.

The world No 2 landed just 43% of her first serves, hit 23 unforced errors and was unable to convert any of the five break points she had on her 18-year-old opponent’s serve.

Gauff struggled for form throughout her run at the Canadian Open as she survived scares in both of her first two matches.

The American hit 23 double faults in her 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) second round win against Danielle Collins, who served for the match in the third set.

The 21-year-old then came back from a set and 1-3 down to defeat Veronika Kudermetova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the third round after committing 14 double faults.

Gauff started the Canadian Open on 7,669 points in the world No 2 position, and by reaching the fourth round, she has increased her tally by 120 points to 7,789 in the live rankings. This leaves Gauff 4,436 points adrift of world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who opted to skip Montreal.

Heading into the WTA 1000 event, world No 3 Swiatek was 856 points behind Gauff on 6,813 points.

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The 24-year-old Pole remains 856 points adrift of the world No 2 after improving her points total by 120 to 6,933 by progressing to the fourth round.

Swiatek will face 19th-ranked Clara Tauson in the last 16 on Sunday, and she will move onto 7,028 points if she reaches the quarter-finals.

After Gauff’s defeat, Swiatek has the opportunity to take the No 2 ranking from her American rival if she wins the title in Montreal.

A maiden triumph in Canada for Swiatek would lift her points tally to 7,813 and put her 24 points clear of Gauff when the WTA Rankings update after the tournament.

This would set up a close fight for second spot at the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati, which begins on August 7.

The player who holds the world No 2 position after Cincinnati will be seeded second at the US Open and, therefore, avoid playing top-ranked Sabalenka before the final at Flushing Meadows.

Swiatek is on a nine-match winning streak after securing her maiden Wimbledon title and sixth Grand Slam last month.

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