Mboko caps Montreal tournament for the ages with…

Skip to main content directly

Some things in life and in sports are just meant to be. That’s how Victoria Mboko’s magical run at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers can be described. Also, riveting, inspiring, memorable, and everything in between.

The 18-year-old Canadian rose to the occasion in the face of the first crowning moment of her career, defeating Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to capture the biggest title of her young life on Canadian soil, in front of her home fans who cheered for her point in and point out throughout the tournament.

After dropping the first set in the championship match, Mboko once again showed her resilience and fighting spirit, breaking in the opening game of the second set which seemed to throw Osaka off her game even though she managed to break back twice during the frame.

“Naomi (Osaka) came out playing really great tennis. I think she always had that aggressive kind of game style, and I knew she was that good of a player,” said Mboko post-match. “When I lost the first set, I kind of told myself to regroup a little bit and start fresh. I knew she was going to also keep playing aggressive, so I kind of had to rely on my defending skills most of the match.”

Mboko carried her momentum into the final set, cruising to victory against a discouraged opponent to achieve a destiny that seemed written in the stars from the moment she stepped foot in Montreal. She becomes the first Canadian to win the NBO since Bianca Andreescu in 2019 and the first Canadian woman to lift the prestigious WTA 1000 trophy in Montreal. She’s also the first Canadian player and the second-youngest player ever to defeat four Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event in the Open Era (Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Osaka).

“I think when I had that winning moment and seeing so many people standing up and cheering for me, it was kind of a surreal experience. I would have never thought something like this would have came so suddenly,” Mboko added. “I'm super happy for that, and I think it just proves that your dreams are closer than they are.”

The victory, which came against one of her tennis idols who was honoured to be looked up to by the WTA’s brightest new star, moves Mboko to a career-high no. 24 on the WTA rankings, guaranteeing that she will be seeded for the first time at a Grand Slam in New York later this month.

Photo: Pascal Ratthé