Victoria Mboko Makes Electrifying Main Draw Debut at NBO Montreal
So, here’s the buzz from Montreal — Victoria Mboko, an 18-year-old Canadian tennis phenom, just made a statement at the National Bank Open. In her first-ever main draw appearance at a WTA 1000 event on home soil, she absolutely delivered, beating Australia’s Kimberly Birrell in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. And get this — she fired down 15 aces in the process, many of them topping 180 km/h. That kind of power? Pretty unreal for someone her age.
Now, it wasn’t all smooth sailing right from the start. Mboko admitted she was a bit nervous stepping onto Centre Court in front of a home crowd in Montreal — something she'd dreamed about since she was a kid watching these matches from the stands. But those nerves quickly melted away as the match went on, and with each powerful serve and forehand winner, her confidence just kept growing.
Also Read:- Coco Gauff’s Secret Weapon for a Strong Montreal Comeback
- Olivier Dion Spotted with Ex—Fans Buzzing Over Summer Reunion
The first set was tight, but Mboko pulled through by breaking Birrell in the 12th game. In the second set, Birrell actually handed Mboko a break with a double fault — and that moment shifted everything. Mboko locked in from there, held her serve confidently, and never let go of the lead.
What’s impressive is how composed she remained throughout, especially for someone who's still so new to this level of play. Her rise has been lightning-fast — starting the year ranked 350th, she’s already cracked the top 100 and is now sitting at No. 88 in the world. She’s been on fire this season, with 46 wins and a 22-match streak earlier on the ITF tour — all in straight sets, no less.
But this win at the NBO was different. It was her debut in the spotlight at home. She even took the time after the match to sign autographs for fans of all ages, and spoke a little French during her on-court interview, which got a great reaction from the crowd.
Next up, she’s set to face Sofia Kenin, a former Grand Slam champ, in the second round. That’ll be a real test, but if today’s performance is anything to go by, Mboko’s not just here to participate — she’s here to make noise.
And just to round things off, fellow Canadian Bianca Andreescu also secured a gritty win later that evening, even after suffering an ankle scare late in her match against Barbora Krejcikova. It was a big day for Canadian tennis, with Mboko leading the charge in style.
Read More:
0 Comments