"I'm going to prepare for this match the same way as the previous ones," Mboko gears up for her showdown against Gauff in Montreal

Victoria Mboko has reached the Round of 16 at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal. The 18-year-old Canadian defeated Kimberly Birrell (7-5, 6-3), Sofia Kenin (6-2, 6-3), and Marie Bouzkova (1-6, 6-3, 6-0) last night.

Ranked 85th in the world at the start of the tournament, she will now battle for a spot in the quarterfinals against Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 and recent Roland-Garros champion. In a press conference, Mboko discussed the upcoming clash with the American.

"Marie (Bouzkova) is a very solid player—we all know her. From the start, I knew exactly what kind of match to expect today. She’s capable of keeping a lot of balls in play, and she makes very few errors—that’s the strength of her game.

I had to be as patient as possible, without rushing. That’s why it was a mental battle against myself. I’m excited to play this match against Coco (Gauff). She’s the top seed here, and I’ve had the chance to face her before (at Rome earlier this year, where the American won in three sets).

I know what to expect. I hope it’ll be a great battle. It’s always amazing to play against these incredible players. She’s an impressive tennis player, and I’m sure it’ll be another fun experience.

Here, the surface is different compared to our match in Rome back in May. However, the way you play doesn’t change much regardless of the surface.

I’ll prepare for this match the same way as the others, no matter the conditions. I hope to give my best," Mboko told Punto De Break in recent hours.