Victoria Mboko’s meteoric rise: From obscurity to WTA top 25

The 18-year-old Canadian sensation stuns tennis world with maiden WTA 1000 title

Young athletes showcasing their skills on the tennis court, reflecting the excitement of the sport.

Victoria Mboko’s name is on everyone’s lips after the 18-year-old Canadian wildcard stunned the tennis world by claiming her first WTA 1000 title at the National Bank Open in Montreal. The 85th-ranked teen’s impressive victory over former world No 1 Naomi Osaka in the final marked a historic milestone in her burgeoning career, catapulting her from relative obscurity to the world’s top 25.

Mboko’s Cinderella run at the tournament was nothing short of spectacular, as she defeated four-time grand slam champion Osaka, reigning Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin to become just the third teen in the open era to oust four major champions at a WTA event. Her win over Osaka was her third come-from-behind victory of the tournament, showcasing her remarkable resilience and determination.

Mboko’s success has been a long time in the making, having started the year ranked outside the top 300. However, she quickly made a name for herself by winning the first 20 matches she played, all in straight sets, and sweeping up five ITF titles in the first three months of the season. Her impressive form has earned her a spot alongside Australian 19-year-old Maya Joint and No 5 Mirra Andreeva as the only teenagers in the WTA’s top 90.

Mboko’s coach, Nathalie Tauziat, has been instrumental in helping her charge learn how to compete and manage stress on the court. Tauziat’s guidance has been invaluable, and her charge has been able to draw on her coach’s wisdom to stay focused and composed under pressure. Tauziat, a former world No 5, has been working with Mboko since the start of the season, and her expertise has played a significant role in the young Canadian’s rapid rise.

Mboko’s victory has sent shockwaves through the tennis world, with many hailing her as a rising star. Her humility and down-to-earth nature have endeared her to fans and opponents alike, with top-seeded Gauff praising her as “very athletic” and a “great ball striker.” Gauff, who was defeated by Mboko in the round of 16, was full of praise for the young Canadian, saying, “She’s a great ball striker, and she seems pretty positive out there on the court, doesn’t get really too negative.”

Mboko’s parents, Cyprien Mboko and Godee Kitadi, fled the Democratic Republic of Congo due to the political turmoil in 1999 and emigrated to the United States. Victoria was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, before the family relocated to Toronto. Her older siblings all played tennis, with her sister Gracia and brother Kevin being good enough to play at the collegiate level. Mboko spent her summers running around the grounds at the National Bank Open chasing autographs and photos with her favorite players like Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils. She even has a photo of herself at eight years old holding a replica of the trophy.

Mboko’s victory has sent shockwaves through the tennis world, with many hailing her as a rising star. Her humility and down-to-earth nature have endeared her to fans and opponents alike. As Mboko looks to build on her maiden WTA 1000 title, she has set her sights on the US Open, a tournament that has been very good to Canadian players in the past. With her confidence soaring and her game improving by the day, Mboko is certainly one to watch in the coming months.

When asked whether she feels like one of the 25 best players in the world, Mboko’s humility kicked in. “I don’t think I could say yes to that, to be honest,” she said. “It happens, and I honestly think everything’s been happening so fast that I don’t really have time to process it, let alone look at the rankings. I feel like when I settle down a little bit and kind of realize what has just happened, so many things will change and I’ll have a different perspective going forward.”

Mboko’s perspective now shifts to the US Open, a tournament that has been very good to the Canadians. In 2019, a 19-year-old Bianca Andreescu became Canada’s first grand slam singles champion there. Two years later, Leylah Annie Fernandez stormed into the final. Could Mboko follow their well-worn path? She certainly isn’t ruling it out. “When I started playing on the WTA Tour, I never thought in my head if I belonged or not because I just thought, a match is just a match,” Mboko said. “I always knew everyone was really good, but I felt that at the end of the day, anything is possible.”