Sports (Commonwealth Union) _ Teenage tennis star Victoria Mboko is establishing her place at the Canadian Open, impressing both fans and opponents with a fearless, fast-paced game that has now propelled her into her first WTA 1000 semi-final. At just 18 years old, the Canadian-raised player is the talk of the tournament, ousting some of the biggest names in the draw, including top-seeded Coco Gauff, to become the first Canadian woman to reach the semi-finals in Montreal since Bianca Andreescu’s title win in 2019.
Mboko’s 6-4, 6-2 victory over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro was her latest triumph in a week filled with career-defining moments. The win also followed earlier victories over Sofia Kenin and Coco Gauff, in which she displayed exceptional composure, heavy groundstrokes, and a knack for dominating rallies. The teenager has now won 33 matches this season while losing only three, a streak that’s projected to catapult her into the WTA Top 50 rankings next week, an astounding leap from her No. 333 position at the start of the year.
Mboko’s semi-final opponent is Elena Rybakina, who is no stranger to success as the 2022 Wimbledon champion. The two players met just two weeks ago in Washington, where Rybakina defeated Mboko in straight sets. But this time, the crowd and momentum may be on the young Canadian’s side.
Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Congolese parents, Mboko grew up in Toronto and Burlington, Ontario, alongside her three siblings, who also played tennis. Her potential was evident early on, as she made her WTA Tour debut at 15 and won her first professional title at the ITF W25 event in Saskatoon in 2022. She successfully defended that title the following year, and in 2025, she swept tournaments from Guadeloupe to Germany to Georgia.
Nathalie Tauziat, Mboko’s coach as well as a former Grand Slam finalist herself, has praised the teenager’s rapid progression while warning against the pressures that may come with the sudden stardom. “After seven months, she is already top 50. It’s going very fast,” Tauziat noted. “But she has that level of play. We knew she could do something good.”
Admittedly, the goals set at the beginning of the season, breaking into the top 100 and qualifying for the French Open, now seem modest in comparison, with Mboko not only having reached the third round at Roland-Garros but also claiming a win at Wimbledon. She has also earned her first tour-level victory at the Miami Open, defeating Camila Osorio before narrowly falling to Paula Badosa in a three-set battle.
Her surge has also garnered the attention of other WTA players, who have approached her about playing doubles. Mboko now draws crowds around practice courts, attention she accepts with poise. According to her hitting partner, Ange-Kevin Koua, who has known her since she was 10, Mboko has always had the potential. He said, “She doesn’t put too much pressure on herself. She’s just going out there and enjoying the moment.”
Mboko’s game mirrors her personality in many ways: powerful, focused, and grounded. While her shots can overwhelm even elite opponents, her demeanor remains humble, acting as her greatest strength moving forward in a sport that often demands emotional resilience as much as physical talent.
As the only Canadian to advance past the third round at this year’s National Bank Open, Mboko has shaped up to be the hero fans have been longing for, especially with former star Eugenie Bouchard preparing to retire. Now, with a packed crowd expected to rally behind her in her semi-final showdown against Rybakina, Mboko’s campaign is no longer just about potential but also about performance.
However, whether or not Mboko wins the tournament, her run in Montreal marks a defining chapter in her young career, as well as in Canadian tennis.
