Canadian tennis fans witnessed a moment for the ages on Thursday night, as 18-year-old Victoria Mboko etched her name into the history books with a dramatic victory at the National Bank Open in Montreal. The teenager, who started the day with a swollen and painful right wrist, ended it by hoisting the trophy after toppling four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a thrilling 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback. The raucous, sold-out crowd at IGA Stadium erupted as Mboko dropped to her knees in disbelief, her rise from relative obscurity to national hero complete in just two unforgettable weeks.
Mboko’s journey to the title was anything but straightforward. She suffered a nasty fall during her semifinal win over Elena Rybakina, leaving her wrist heavily taped and sending her to the hospital for an MRI and X-rays on the morning of the final. Thankfully, the scans revealed no structural damage, clearing the way for her to compete. Still, the pain was undeniable, and throughout the final, Mboko could be seen shaking her wrist and grimacing after certain points. "There were some moments where it was aggravating me a lot," she admitted after the match, according to Sportsnet. "But I feel like it was the final, and I just kept saying to myself, ‘You have one more to go,’ and I had the extra motivation from the crowd to keep pushing. I tried to block it out of my head as much as possible."
That mental toughness proved crucial. After dropping the first set to Osaka, Mboko found herself in familiar territory. She'd already staged a comeback in the semifinals, and once again, she flipped the script. Osaka, who had looked poised and in control early, wavered under the relentless pressure and noise from the partisan crowd. Mboko broke Osaka an astonishing eight times in the final two sets, using her athleticism and aggressive retrieving to fluster the Japanese star. "Most players use their athletic ability just to play defence or just to play offence," noted Sportsnet broadcaster Jesse Levine. "She uses it two ways, so it's impressive."
With the title, Mboko became the first Canadian woman in the Open era to win the National Bank Open singles crown in Montreal, and just the third overall to claim the prestigious WTA 1000 event. Her victory also marked her as the youngest player since Serena Williams in 1999 to defeat four Grand Slam champions in a single tournament—Osaka, Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, and Rybakina all fell to the Canadian sensation. The achievement drew praise from across the tennis world, with legends Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova offering congratulations, and WTA coach and broadcaster Rennae Stubbs declaring on social media, "This kid is the REAL deal."
Mboko’s win reverberated far beyond the tennis court. The CN Tower was lit up in red and white to celebrate her triumph, and Prime Minister Mark Carney sent his congratulations on social media. The buzz was so intense that, during the men’s final in Toronto, fans erupted in cheers while watching the women’s final on their phones, momentarily confusing the players on court. Mboko’s story captivated the nation, providing a welcome dose of inspiration amid a summer otherwise dominated by less cheerful headlines.
Her on-court heroics were matched by her poise and maturity off the court. Despite the media frenzy and newfound fame, Mboko remained grounded. "I understand why there would be such a noise around it, but you know, I like to keep things very simple," she said. "I don’t want to put so much pressure on myself just because of something that happened this week, because life goes on. There’s always another tournament, whether win or lose. I’m just happy to live the moment. Once it’s passed, it’s passed."
Mboko’s victory brought a windfall in more ways than one. The win propelled her 61 spots up the WTA world rankings to a career-best No. 24, making her the highest-ranked Canadian woman on tour and leapfrogging Leylah Fernandez. She also pocketed over US$752,000 (approximately CA$1.03 million) in prize money, more than doubling her career earnings in a single week. Not bad for someone who was ranked 351st just a year ago, grinding through lower-level ITF events and dreaming of a breakthrough.
Her 2025 win-loss record now stands at an eye-popping 53-9, and she achieved this milestone in just her seventh career WTA Tour main draw event. Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv wasn’t shocked by her rapid ascent. "She has consistently won at every level of tennis that she's played," Ziv told the media. "Going from the smaller circuits at the ITF pro circuit to the challengers, now to the (WTA) Tour level. So for people close to tennis, I don't think it's a shock that we're seeing her doing so well."
Mboko’s road to the title was paved with resilience and a knack for seizing big moments. Early-round wins over Kimberly Birrell, Sofia Kenin, and Marie Bouzkova set the stage, but it was her round-of-16 upset of top-seeded Coco Gauff that made the tennis world take notice. From there, she toppled Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, then staged consecutive comeback wins against Rybakina and Osaka. Her ability to bounce back after dropping the first set became a hallmark of her run. "I always think of sets as, like, checkpoints," Mboko explained. "So once I finish the first set, I completely put it behind me, and I start a new little chapter."
The final itself was a rollercoaster. Osaka, frustrated by the shifting momentum and the deafening crowd, struggled with errors and double faults. At one point, she even skipped the post-match press conference, though she later offered praise through the WTA: "I think Victoria played really well. I completely forgot to congratulate her on the court. I mean, she did really amazing." Mboko, for her part, remained gracious. "I mean, I still think Naomi is an incredible player, and it doesn’t ever change what I think of her," she said. "I think she’s still a really nice girl. I still look up to her. Nothing really changes."
As the celebrations continued deep into the Montreal night, Mboko posed for photos with her coaches, family, and fans, signed autographs, and basked in chants of "Vic-toria M-bo-ko, Hey!" Her story—one of perseverance, humility, and raw talent—has already inspired a new generation of Canadian tennis hopefuls. With her decision to skip the Cincinnati tournament and rest her wrist ahead of the U.S. Open, all eyes will be on Flushing Meadows later this month. Can she keep the magic alive on the sport’s biggest stage?
For now, Victoria Mboko’s dazzling run at the National Bank Open stands as a testament to what’s possible when belief, grit, and opportunity collide. Canada has a new tennis star, and the world is watching to see what she’ll do next.
