Some things in life and in sports are just meant to be. That’s how Victoria Mboko’s magical run at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers can be described. Also, riveting, inspiring, memorable, and everything in between.
The 18-year-old Canadian rose to the occasion in the face of the first crowning moment of her career, defeating Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to capture the biggest title of her young life on Canadian soil, in front of her home fans who cheered for her point in and point out throughout the tournament.
After dropping the first set in the championship match, Mboko once again showed her resilience and fighting spirit, breaking in the opening game of the second set which seemed to throw Osaka off her game even though she managed to break back twice during the frame.
Mboko carried her momentum into the final set, cruising to victory against a discouraged opponent to achieve a destiny that seemed written in the stars from the moment she stepped foot in Montreal. She becomes the first Canadian to win the NBO since Bianca Andreescu in 2019 and the first Canadian woman to lift the prestigious WTA 1000 trophy in Montreal. She’s also the first Canadian player and the second-youngest player ever to defeat four Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event in the Open Era (Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Osaka).
The victory moves Mboko to a career-high no. 25 on the WTA rankings, guaranteeing that she will be seeded for the first at a Grand Slam in New York later this month.
Feature Photo: Mathieu Belanger
