Victoria Mboko, the Canadian sensation, reaches the final of the Canadian Open
At just 18 years old, Victoria Mboko stunned Elena Rybakina (1-6, 7-5, 7-6 [4]) to reach the final of the WTA 1000 in Montreal. A monumental feat in a night that will go down in Canadian tennis history.
Mboko Montreal 2025 – © Zuma / Psnewz
On Thursday night, the IGA Stadium witnessed a truly unforgettable moment. Victoria Mboko, 18 years old, ranked No. 85 in the world and awarded a wild card, pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent tournament history by defeating Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 [4] after a 2-hour 51-minute battle. Rybakina, the world No. 12 and 2022 Wimbledon finalist, served for the match twice and even held a match point, but she couldn’t break the Canadian’s resolve.
In a wild third set, Mboko took a hard fall at 1-0 and needed treatment on her right wrist. Yet it was she who showed the greater resilience, fighting back and sealing the win in a tense tiebreak where Rybakina crumbled under pressure, committing four forehand unforced errors. The Canadian collapsed into tears in the arms of her coach, Nathalie Tauziat.
“It was an incredible match. Thank you to everyone who supported me. The atmosphere was electric, I’m very happy. It was really tough, I’m very tired,” she said on court.
A meteoric rise in 2025
Just a few months ago, Mboko was ranked outside the top 300. In 2025, she has already claimed four titles on the ITF circuit, reached the third round at Roland-Garros, and now finds herself in the final of a WTA 1000 — only her sixth main-draw appearance on the WTA Tour.
With this run in Montreal, she’s already guaranteed to break into the Top 35 and could climb as high as the Top 25 if she wins the title. That would make her a seeded player at the US Open in three weeks.
Revenge against Rybakina and stunning maturity
This victory also served as a sweet revenge: just two weeks ago, Rybakina defeated Mboko in the second round in Washington. But this time, the teenager flipped the script with remarkable composure.
“After the first set, I didn’t really have time to think about how to change things. I just told myself to stay with her, return as many balls as possible. I’m proud I stayed strong mentally in the toughest moments.”
Even after her fall, she kept her composure: “I wasn’t in the best shape, but I stayed focused. I’m proud I stayed patient and didn’t panic.”
Powered by the crowd, dreaming of a title
Spurred on by a home crowd that’s embraced her throughout the week, Mboko hasn’t stopped talking about how much the support means to her: “The support here is incredible. It helps me stay positive when things get hard. I feel really lucky.”
So what’s next? She’ll face Naomi Osaka in the final — a matchup that feels like a symbolic passing of the torch. If she wins, Mboko will join an elite group of players who have claimed a WTA 1000 title before turning 19. This season, only one player has done better in terms of age: Mirra Andreeva, champion in Indian Wells and Dubai.
“I’m not thinking about the trophy just yet. But of course, that’s the image I have in my head. That’s why I play.”
Montreal WTA 1000, other semi-final result (IGA Stadium, hard, USD 5.152.599):
- Naomi Osaka vs. Clara Tauson
