Who is Victoria Mboko? Canadian Teen Reaches First WTA Final After Stunning Win Over Rybakina

Thursday, August 7, 2025 – Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko has become the center of attention at the 2025 Canadian Open after reaching her first WTA final. She defeated former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a thrilling semi-final match in Montreal.

Victoria Mboko is just 18 years old. She was born in the United States but grew up in Toronto. She represents Canada in professional tennis.

Incredible 2025 Season

Mboko started the year ranked outside the top 300 in the WTA rankings. She quickly turned heads by winning 22 matches in a row during January and February. This winning streak helped her claim four ITF titles. By May, her record stood at 33 wins and only 3 losses.

Her strong performance pushed her into the top 200. This also earned her a wildcard for the Miami Open, her first WTA 1000 tournament. There, she beat Camila Osorio in the first round. Later, she qualified for the Italian Open and faced Coco Gauff in the second round. Although she lost, she won the first set against Gauff.

Grand Slam Debut

Mboko made her Grand Slam debut at the French Open. She came through the qualifiers and reached the third round. At Wimbledon, she lost to Hailey Baptiste in the early rounds.

Home Crowd Magic in Montreal

Montreal is special for Mboko. It’s her home tournament. She entered the Canadian Open as a wildcard. In the first round, she beat Kimberly Birrell in straight sets. That win pushed her world ranking to a career-high of No. 85.

Her next matches were even more impressive. She beat former US Open champion Sofia Kenin. Then, she faced Coco Gauff again and won in straight sets: 6-1, 6-4. That was a huge statement.

In the semi-final, Mboko faced a big challenge. Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner, won the first set 6-1. She even had match point in the second. But Mboko didn’t give up. She saved match point, won the second set, and then took the final set in a tiebreak. The crowd in Montreal cheered her on.

After the win, Mboko said, “I had everyone supporting me and pushing me through. Without you guys, I don’t think I would’ve been able to pull this through.”

History Made

Victoria Mboko is now the first Canadian player to beat three former Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event during the Open Era. She is also only the third wildcard to reach the Canadian Open final in the tournament’s Open Era history.

Final Showdown with Naomi Osaka

Mboko will now face Naomi Osaka in the final. Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam winner and is back in top form. This is her first WTA final since 2022.

Win or lose, Victoria Mboko has already shown that she is a future star of women’s tennis. Her performance this year proves that she has the skills, confidence, and mental strength to go far.