Photo Credit: Wilson Tennis/Instagram
Who’s ready for the Victoria Mboko era? The 18-year-old Canadian tennis sensation, born to Congolese parents, is serving up wins on repeat.
Last night was buzzing with anticipation at Montreal’s IGA Stadium, Mboko pulled off what many are calling the biggest upset of her young career. In a stunning three-set thriller, she defeated World No. 12 and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) to reach her first-ever WTA Tour final and in her home country.
It was no smooth ride. After a lopsided first set that saw her broken three times, Victoria clawed her way back, saving a match point, tumbling hard on her wrist, and still pushing through with it taped for the rest of the match. In what can only be described as pure grit, she came back from 5-3 and 6-5 down in the final set.
“I mean, unfortunately I fell,” she said , recalling the tough tumble early in the third set. “But I had everyone supporting me and pushing me through. Without you guys, I don’t think I would’ve been able to pull this through.”
With chants of “Allez, Vicky!” echoing through the stadium and cardboard cutouts of her face waving in the stands, the crowd in Montreal were watching and riding the rollercoaster with her.
Mboko’s semifinal victory was historic on multiple levels. She’s now:
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The first Canadian woman in the Open Era to defeat three Grand Slam champions—Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Sofia Kenin—in a single WTA event.
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The youngest Canadian finalist at the Canadian Open, and the first to do so in Montreal.
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The fourth-ever Canadian woman to reach the final of her country’s most prestigious tournament, after legends Faye Urban, Vicky Berner and Bianca Andreescu.
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And she’s done all this in just her seventh main-draw appearance on the WTA Tour.
Now ranked No. 85, Mboko’s run has already pushed her projected ranking into the Top 40 and into possible US Open seeding territory.
She faces another titan next: four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in what’s shaping up to be a generation-defining final.
“Anything can happen, you know,” she said after the match in her on-court interview. “It was a very difficult match against Elena. She’s such a good player. I’m so tired right now.”
Watch the highlights below
