Victoria Mboko’s Breakout Week Turns Heads in Montreal
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By Heidi Specter
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Summary:
- Victoria Mboko beat world No. 2 Coco Gauff to reach her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
- The 18-year-old Canadian has had a rapid climb this year, rising from outside the top 300 to No. 85.
- A win against Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro could directly propel her into next week’s Cincinnati tournament.
Just last week, Victoria Mboko was excited to make her debut at the National Bank Open. Then, only very few in the crowd at Montreal’s IGA Stadium knew the 18-year-old’s name.
Now, after she dismantled world No. 2 and top seed Coco Gauff in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday in roughly one hour, she’s the talk of the tournament as she is Canada’s only representative left with Denis Shapovalov and Eugenie Bouchard being knocked out earlier.
Ready for First WTA 1000 Quarterfinal
On Monday night, Victoria will once again step into the spotlight for her first-ever WTA 1000 quarterfinal. Her opponent will be Spain’s Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro, a player currently ranked No. 51 in the world.
Tennis Canada’s VP of high performance, Guillaume Marx, took the opportunity to comment on Mboko’s electric performance.
Obviously, she’s doing great. I think she stands up to the moment… For her confidence, it’s just huge.
However, her victory didn’t just significantly boost her profile but also raised expectations.
Madison Keys, who also advanced to the quarterfinals said
I think a big win like that, it changes expectations a little bit and it can definitely add some pressure. But at the same time, you’re also still young and there’s lots of tennis ahead of you.
Guillaume Marx: “We Built a Team Around Her”
Born in Charlotte, N.C., and raised in Canada, Victoria Mboko has spent most of the year training at the Justine Henin Academy in Belgium. However, a turning point came late last year when she reached out to Tennis Canada about training full-time back home.
I think when you take big decisions in life, it’s powerful. We built a team around her so that it would work.
The decision has so far paid off nicely for the tennis player. After kicking off 2024 outside the top 300, Mboko climbed to No. 85 in the world and posted a 50-9 record this season, including a 22-match win streak on the ITF Challenger circuit. The young player also impressed at the French Open and Wimbledon.
For me, it’s a breakthrough. She is on a really amazing run… her world is kind of changing.
If Mboko defeats Bouzas Maneiro, she’ll earn a coveted spot in the Cincinnati main draw. If the opposite scenario unfolds, she may face a challenging route for qualification, or even skip the event altogether because of the tight schedule.
Nonetheless, her place in the U.S. Open main draw is well secured, and her momentum cannot be denied.
