5 youngest women to beat No 1 seed at a WTA 1000 event: Victoria Mboko joins Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva
Victoria Mboko, Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva star among the youngest players to defeat the top seed at a WTA 1000 tournament.
Mboko’s stunning 6-1, 6-4 fourth round victory over No 1 seed Gauff at the 2025 Canadian Open puts her fifth on the impressive list: at the age of 18 years and 335 days.
The Canadian wildcard said: “Coming into the match, I was so locked in.
“I tried to keep my composure as much as I could, especially playing in front of so many people. This is a very special experience for me.”
In her first three matches in Montreal, Mboko defeated Kimberly Birrell 7-5, 6-3, Sofia Kenin 6-2, 6-3, and Marie Bouzkova 1-6, 6-3, 6-0.
Here are the four youngest women to oust the No 1 seed at a WTA 1000 event since the category of tournament was introduced in 2009.
Kai-Chen Chang – 18 years and 258 days
Kai-Chen Chang was 18 years and 258 days old when she upset world No 1 Dinara Safina in the second round of the 2009 Pan Pacific Open, which was a WTA 1000 event at the time.
After progressing through the qualifying draw in Tokyo, Chang defeated Kaia Kanepi in the first round before her 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-5 win over Safina.
The Taiwanese player, who represented Chinese Taipei, saw her run end with a 5-7, 2-6 third round loss to Iveta Benesova.
Chang, who played her last match in 2020, peaked at 82nd in the WTA Rankings in July 2010.
Belinda Bencic – 18 years and 153 days
At the age of 18 years and 153 days, Belinda Bencic downed top-ranked Serena Williams 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the semi-finals of the 2015 Canadian Open.
During the event, the unseeded Swiss also defeated Eugenie Bouchard, Caroline Wozniacki, Sabine Lisicki, Ana Ivanovic and Simona Halep as she claimed the first of her two WTA 1000 titles.
Bencic, currently ranked 20th, reached a career-high position of world No 4 in February 2020.
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Mirra Andreeva – 17 years and 310 days
Mirra Andreeva was 17 years and 310 days old when she overcame world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the 2025 Indian Wells Masters.
The Russian star also saw off Varvara Gracheva, Clara Tauson, Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina and Iga Swiatek during her title run.
Andreeva is at a career-high ranking of world No 5.
Coco Gauff – 17 years and 58 days
Coco Gauff holds the record for being the youngest player to beat the top seed at a WTA 1000 tournament.
At the age of 17 years and 58 days, Gauff registered a win over world No 1 Ashleigh Barty in the quarter-finals of the 2021 Italian Open.
The American was trailing 4-6, 1-2 against Barty when the Australian was forced to retire. She also beat Yulia Putintseva, Maria Sakkari and Aryna Sabalenka, while her run ended with a semi-final loss to Swiatek.
Gauff is currently at her best-ever ranking of world No 2.
