In a stunning display of resilience, 18-year-old wildcard Victoria Mboko captured her maiden WTA title at the Canadian Open with a thrilling 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over former world number one Naomi Osak
The Montreal crowd erupted as their homegrown talent completed a remarkable week that saw her defeat four Grand Slam champions, including a dramatic comeback in Saturday's final. Mboko's victory prompted such enthusiastic celebrations that play was briefly halted in the concurrent men's final in Toronto.
Dream Week for Rising Star
"I have so many emotions going through my head," Mboko told reporters after the match. "When I won my first round, I never imagined reaching the final - let alone winning the whole tournament."
The teenager displayed characteristic fighting spirit, overcoming a slow start that saw her commit 22 unforced errors in the opening set. She gradually found her rhythm, breaking Osaka five times across the final two sets while the stadium chanted "Allez Vicky."
"Although I'm experiencing everything for the first time this year, I want to enjoy the process as much as possible."
Osaka's Comeback Continues
For Osaka, the match marked progress in her return to top-level tennis following maternity leave. The four-time major winner had defeated four seeded players en route to the final but couldn't maintain her early momentum.
"Victoria played really well," Osaka acknowledged. "It's funny, this morning I was very grateful and I don't know why my emotions flipped so quickly."
Rapid Rise Through Rankings
Mboko's victory caps an extraordinary rise from world No. 333 at season's start to her current ranking of 24. Coach Nathalie Tauziat, a former Wimbledon finalist, praised her protege's composure: "What's important is seeing us not panic when something happens."
As attention turns to the US Open, Mboko remains grounded: "There's a lot of new beginnings for me. Not everything will go my way, but I'm happy to be in this situation."
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