victoria mboko

Photo: Gyles Dias

During her 2022 campaign, Victoria Mboko, who trains out of the National Tennis Centre presented by Rogers (NTC) in Montreal, won four junior titles (three doubles, one singles), reached two junior Grand Slam doubles finals, and advanced to the semi-finals in singles at both the US Open Junior Championships and the Wimbledon Junior Championships.

Additionally, Mboko played in her first WTA events – a qualifying match at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers and a main-draw appearance in Granby, Quebec. But the highlight of the season for the young Toronto star was back in July, when the then 15-year-old clinched her first professional title at the Saskatoon Challenger, becoming only the fourth Canadian woman to win her first tournament before their 16th birthday.

Mboko (now 16 years old), continues to make great strides in her game. She’s currently 8th in the world in the ITF Junior Rankings and has a WTA ranking of No. 490. Heading into 2023, she’ll look to build off her impressive season and add some more wins and trophies to her name.

Photo: Martin Sidorjak

While Canadian tennis fans are keen to see what’s in store for Mboko next year with pro tennis experience under her belt, they’ll have to wait a few more weeks until the off-season wraps up.

In the meantime, here’s a list of things that have played a major factor in Mboko’s career development, from her personal life to on-court help, which has given her the Advantage.

1. Strong support system

Mboko, who was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, moved to Toronto with her family when she was two months old because her siblings wanted to improve their tennis games. Little did she know that she was about to embark on a tennis journey of her own – an impressive one that wouldn’t have been possible without the support she gets from her family on and off the court.

“I would say that my family inspires me the most because I know that they are always there for me and they all want the best for me and for my achievements,” she explained. “When I was twelve, I made the finals of the Orange Bowl and it was a pretty big deal because it’s one of the biggest U12 tournaments in the world. My parents were really proud of me, and I felt I could do so much more. It motivated me to work harder and get stronger.”

2. Canadian inspiration

Young players around the country are already starting to look up to Mboko. However, when she was little, who inspired her?

“There is plenty of motivation close to home with the likes of Felix Auger-Aliassime, Leylah Annie Fernandez, and Denis Shapovalov all young Canadians making their mark on the world stage,” Mboko shared. “I also really look up to Bianca Andreescu, who won the US Open in 2019. Knowing she once trained in Toronto and at the NTC, like me, is very inspiring and makes me believe it’s possible for me too.”

victoria mboko granby
Photo: Sarah-Jade Champagne

3. On-court experience

As someone who trained at the NTC, Mboko got to travel and play tournaments across the world which provided her with fantastic new opportunities and on-court experience. This summer, she received wild cards to play at the National Bank Open and the Granby National Bank Championships – something not many 16-year-olds get the chance to do.

“For me, having new experiences is key,” Mboko said. “I love getting the chance to be around professional players and those who compete in the big leagues.”

As a result of these opportunities, the Canadian does admit that she’s now a more mature player. The experience has been great for her this season and will hopefully continue to help her in the years to come.

Tennis Canada has the Advantage because it can give an Advantage, like it has for Victoria Mboko. Let’s keep the Advantage in Canada and donate to help develop the next generation of Canadian tennis stars. Click here to donate now.

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