Victoria Mboko, 18 and Already a Giant
At just 18 years old, Victoria Mboko has reached her first WTA 1000 semi-final on home soil in Montréal. A Roland-Garros breakout star, the Canadian keeps soaring, now into the final four after taking down Coco Gauff and Danielle Collins. She’s up to No. 48 in the world.
Mboko Montreal 2025 – © Zuma / Psnewz
Just six months ago, Victoria Mboko was ranked outside the Top 300. Today, she’s a WTA 1000 semi-finalist in Montréal, the most prestigious tournament in her home country, and she’s cracked the Top 50 for the first time. A meteoric rise for the Canadian prodigy, born in Toronto in 2006, who first turned heads on the ITF circuit at age 14.
More importantly, Mboko is proving she’s no flash in the pan. After her Roland-Garros breakthrough—where she reached the third round in her very first Grand Slam main draw without dropping a set—she’s now knocking out big names one after another in Montréal. Collins, Gauff, Bouzkova, Bouzas Maneiro… all swept aside by Mboko’s fearless, aggressive game.
“I don’t really have a lot of words, I’m just so happy,” she said after her latest win. “To get this result in a tournament like this is a huge turning point for me. It’s been such an amazing experience here in Montréal.”
A Work Ethic Built at Home
Mboko’s mental strength on court likely stems from her upbringing. Her parents fled the Democratic Republic of Congo in the late 1990s, and her father—who never played tennis himself—made it a family passion. All of their children played at a high level, but it was the youngest, Victoria, who pushed furthest.
Her childhood was defined by structure and discipline: early morning practice, school, then a second round of training and physical work in the evening. A champion’s schedule, designed to build something lasting. Though injuries slowed her down in recent years, Mboko is now delivering on her early promise. “Since I was a baby, I wanted to win—even against kids older than me,” she explained. That killer instinct is now a weapon on the WTA Tour.
Asked about her poise under pressure, she said: “I think staying calm in stressful moments is key to executing what I want to do. If I project calm on the outside, it helps my mind stay calm on the inside too. That’s what helps me get through tough situations.”
Calm, Focused, Ready
After her shock win over Gauff, many expected an emotional reaction. But Mboko stayed focused: “Of course I was happy after the match, but I’m still in the tournament. I didn’t celebrate. I stayed focused like I always do. When you play a tournament, the goal is to win it.”
Against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Mboko again displayed remarkable mental resolve. Trailing 2-0 in the second set, she turned things around to win like a seasoned pro. “I think I showed that I’m a fighter. It was really about survival instincts. I just wanted to do everything I could to stay in the match and disrupt her rhythm.”
Following in Legendary Footsteps
Her early breakthrough places her among elite company. Mboko is now the seventh teenager in history to reach the semi-finals of the Canadian WTA 1000 event before turning 19, joining Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams, Ana Ivanovic, and Belinda Bencic.
On Saturday, she’ll face Elena Rybakina for a spot in the final. A daunting challenge, no doubt, but nothing has seemed to shake Mboko’s confidence this week. “I know what to expect. I played her just a few days ago in Washington. I’ll have to raise my level and stay close, because she serves big and hits really hard.”
She’s aware that it’s all happening fast. In less than two weeks, she’s gone from an early loss in Washington to a semi-final in Montréal. “Everything is so new for me that I haven’t even had time to really take it in. But I’m staying focused on this week.”
With 54 wins already in 2025, she’s posting veteran numbers in what is officially her first full season on tour.
In front of her home crowd, in her hometown, Victoria Mboko is rewriting her story. And judging by the opening chapters, this story could be written in bold.
