A Breakthrough Victory in Montreal
Victoria Mboko, an 18-year-old Canadian tennis sensation, captured her first WTA Tour title at the Canadian Open in Montreal with a stunning comeback victory over four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka. In front of a home crowd, Mboko overturned a first-set deficit to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, becoming just the third Canadian woman in the Open Era to claim the tournament, following Faye Urban in 1969 and Bianca Andreescu in 2019.
Arriving as a wild card and ranked No. 333 in the world at the start of the year, Mboko’s rise has been meteoric. She will now soar to No. 34 in the rankings, having climbed 55 places in a single week. Her run to the title included victories over four former grand slam champions — Osaka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Sofia Kenin — a feat never before achieved by a Canadian in a single WTA event.
Overcoming Adversity on the Road to Glory
The young player’s path was anything but easy. In her semifinal against Wimbledon champion Rybakina, Mboko saved a match point and battled through a wrist injury to secure a 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) win. Her composure under pressure was evident in the final, converting eight of nine break points against Osaka.
Her historic run made her the youngest Canadian woman to reach the final of her country’s premier tennis event, and only the third wild card to do so, joining former world No. 1s Monica Seles (1995) and Simona Halep (2015). Until now, her only other final appearance was at the Parma Open, a WTA 125 event, where she finished runner-up in May.
A Journey Rooted in Family and Resilience
Born in North Carolina on August 26, 2006, to parents from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mboko moved to Toronto as a child. The youngest of four siblings, she began playing tennis at age three, inspired by her older brothers and sister. As a child, she attended the Canadian Open as a fan, never imagining she would one day lift the trophy on center court.
Family remains central to her success, offering the emotional support she draws on during tense moments. “Family brings us a sort of comfort that no one else can replicate,” she has said, often seeking her relatives in the stands during matches.
Poised for a Bright Future
Known for her powerful baseline game and athletic movement, Mboko’s mental strength has impressed both fans and players alike. Reflecting on her ability to rally back in difficult moments, she explained: “I wanted to calm myself down and just forget about the last point, always focusing on the next.”
Her breakthrough has drawn praise from established champions, including 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens, who believes Mboko has the potential to become a grand slam champion and even reach world No. 1. With a game built on fearlessness and adaptability, the teenager’s future now looks as bright as the trophy she held aloft in Montreal.