Aug 4, 2025; Montreal, QC, Canada; Victoria Mboko (CAN) reacts after her quarterfinal win against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) at IGA Stadium.

tennis

Who is Victoria Mboko – The Canadian Teen Sensation who won the National Bank Open Title?

The 18-year-old is the fourth home finalist at the Canadian Open, and the youngest of them in the Open Era.

Aug 4, 2025; Montreal, QC, Canada; Victoria Mboko (CAN) reacts after her quarterfinal win against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) at IGA Stadium.

18-year-old teen prodigy Victoria Mboko stunned the world on Thursday, by defeating 4-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. The fearless young baseliner pulled off a stunning 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback to win her first ever WTA title of the career. She also becomes the second-youngest woman in the Open Era to beat four Grand Slam champions in a single tournament. She beat former Wimbledon champion, Elena Rybakina to enter the final of her home tournament in Montreal.

The winning moment ✨

Victoria Mboko captures her first WTA title in Montreal, defeating Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.#OBN25 pic.twitter.com/OveLB47YMZ
— wta (@WTA) August 8, 2025

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about Canada’s newest star on the block.

Victoria Mboko’s Rapid Rise Up the Ranks

Mboko picked up the racquet at the age of three or four, and grew increasingly fond of tennis at a very young stage in life. She grew up watching the sport at the Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, where the men’s competition is being staged in 2025. Although she was born in Charlotte, USA to parents Godee Kitadi and Cyprien Mboko in 2006, her family subsequently settled down in Toronto. Victoria is the youngest of four Mboko siblings – all of whom play tennis.

By 2022, Mboko made her WTA main draw debut in doubles, at the Canadian Open. The 15-year-old also won her first singles trophy that year – at the ITF W25 in Saskatoon. Despite being hampered by numerous injuries along the way, Mboko reached two junior doubles Grand Slam finals in 2022 – at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Unfortunately, the prodigious talent ended up losing both summit clashes.

The Year 2025 – Victoria Mboko Can’t Stop Winning

Fast forward to 2025, where the Canadian started the year ranked No. 333 in the world. Mboko kicked off her campaign with a couple of ITF W35 tournaments in the Caribbean, and won both of them. This was the start of a historic run for Mboko, wherein she won 22 consecutive matches without dropping a set. Her overall record in 2025 amassed to an incredible 53-9 ahead of the Canadian Open final, according to the WTA.

WHAT A MATCH!

18 year-old Victoria Mboko defeats former Wimbledon champ and world #11 Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) to reach the Montreal final.

Almost three hours.

1st career tour-level final, at a WTA 1000.

Rybakina served twice for the match and had a MP.

Unreal. pic.twitter.com/TpHot63NXH
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 7, 2025

In March, Mboko received a wildcard in the Miami Open, where she notched her first tour-level victory as well as Top-100 win over Camila Osorio. Unfortunately, the Canadian was defeated in a three-setter Round-2 encounter by Paul Badosa. She then made a valiant run through qualifying at the Italian Open, before losing again in the second round to Coco Gauff. Entering the main draw of back-to-back Grand Slams after coming through qualifying, Mboko announced herself on the big stage.

3 – Victoria Mboko is the first Canadian player to defeat three former Women’s Singles Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event in the Open Era (Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina). Frontrunner.#OBN25 | @OBNmontreal @WTA pic.twitter.com/3GcEYpxfZo
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) August 7, 2025

This week in Montreal, Mboko’s first real challenge was against No. 23 seed Sofia Kenin. However, the 18-year-old brushed aside the former Australian Open champ to advance into the Round of 32. With massive successes against more Grand Slam winners such as Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina, Victoria Mboko reached into the National Bank Open final at home. She beat Naomi Osaka in the final to claim her first title and it came in front of the home crowd. She has also become the first Canadian to defeat four former women’s singles major champions in a single event during the Open Era.

(Image Credits: David Kirouac, Imagn Images)

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Sankalp Harikrishnan

A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.