Victoria Mboko, the 18-year-old tennis sensation from Canada, has been in the news for reaching the Canadian Open final. What an incredible accomplishment that will be! She has now become the youngest Canadian woman to ever reach the final of this prestigious tournament, which makes her only the fourth Canadian woman in history to accomplish this feat. The final, scheduled for Thursday night, will pit her against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
Yet despite having played so little at this level, Mboko’s confidence has leapt. Her best run prior was just one other final at the Parma Open where she finished as a runner-up. Speaking about her unexpected success, she said, “No words can even describe how I feel right now. You know, nothing would’ve ever prepared me to be in the final. If you would’ve told me last year that I was gonna be in the final here, I would’ve said, ‘You’re crazy.’”
Her path to becoming a professional tennis player began after she first held her first racket at the age of three. After that day, her love for the game exploded. It was her three older siblings that encouraged her to pursue the sport. Through all those years, her love for the sport has not waned; it’s increased. Her determination and hard work have certainly paid off! She recently hit a new career high last month, reaching a ranking of No. 85.
Regardless of the outcome against Osaka, Mboko has already secured her position among the top 40 players in the world. By the end of 2024, her rating was No. 350. Her recent doubles performances have catapulted her to the forefront and significantly raised her profile and stock in the tennis world.
Mboko dazzles on the court with her superb combination of athleticism, coordination and creativity. Her mental resilience by far has been the most important part of her success. Reflecting on her ability to stay calm during tense moments, she stated, “I’ve been in situations where the score was tight and I kind of panicked a little bit, but I really wanted to calm myself down and just forget about the last point and always focus on the next.”
This new milestone is not only a personal victory for Mboko, but a proud moment for Canadian tennis as well. She is just the third wild card to make it to the women’s final at the Canadian Open. This moment represents triumph and promise for countless young soccer players all over this country.
Sloane Stephens, a fellow professional player, expressed her support for Mboko’s journey: “I want her to have all the resources she possibly can to be the best player she can be.” This excitement is indicative of the burgeoning awareness of Mboko’s promise as a sport.
From day one, family support has been the key ingredient to Mboko’s growth as an athlete. She remarked on this aspect of her life by saying, “Family brings us a sort of comfort that like no one else can kind of replicate.”
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