Canada’s sporting spotlight shifted to 18-year-old Victoria Mboko after a stunning run at the National Bank Open in Montreal. Entering as the world No 85 and a wildcard, Mboko defied expectations by defeating four grand slam champions Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Sofia Kenin to win her first WTA 1000 title. Her 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Osaka in the final capped a Cinderella week that catapulted her into the top 25 of the WTA rankings at No 24.
Mboko’s path to the title was as dramatic as it was impressive. She ousted top-seeded Gauff in straight sets in the round of 16, battled past Rybakina in the semi-finals after saving a match point, and delivered a composed comeback in the final. Her ability to blend powerful shot-making with athletic defense proved a puzzle even the world’s best struggled to solve.
The teenager began the year outside the top 300, dominating the ITF circuit with 20 consecutive straight-sets victories and five titles in the opening three months. That early momentum fed her confidence on the WTA Tour, where she has emerged as one of only three teenagers inside the top 90, alongside Mirra Andreeva and Maya Joint.
Her rise is rooted in a lifetime around the sport. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, to parents who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mboko moved to Toronto, where tennis became a family affair. Summers spent chasing autographs at the same tournament she now won have come full circle at eight years old, she posed with a replica trophy; a decade later, she’s holding the real one.
Coached by former world No 3 Nathalie Tauziat, Mboko has been learning the mental and tactical aspects needed to compete at the highest level. In Montreal, her resilience shone through with three come-from-behind victories, showing composure beyond her years.
Despite her breakthrough, Mboko remains grounded, admitting she hasn’t yet processed her new status among the world’s elite. Her focus now shifts to the US Open, where Canadian players have recently found great success. With the fearless mindset that “a match is just a match” and the belief that anything is possible, Mboko’s story is only beginning—and Montreal may be just the first chapter of a remarkable career.
