In an emotional rollercoaster of a final at the Montreal Open, 18-year-old Victoria Mboko delivered a performance for the ages. She stunned the four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka to win her first WTA 1000 title.
Mboko, who started the year ranked outside the top 300, fell to her knees and threw her racquet in disbelief as the crowd erupted in celebration. She is now the fifth-youngest player ever to win the prestigious Montreal title and will make her top-30 debut as the new World No. 25 in next week’s rankings.
That’s not all; she made history along the way. By defeating Osaka, she became only the second-youngest player to beat four Grand Slam champions in a single event, a feat only Serena Williams had previously accomplished in 1999.
On the other side of the net, Naomi Osaka, who was returning to a WTA 1000 final for the first time in years, found plenty of reasons to remain upbeat despite the loss. Still, she admitted one regret during her post-match press conference.
“I think Victoria played really well. I completely forgot to congratulate her on the court,” Osaka said, candidly. “She did really amazing. This morning, I was feeling really grateful just to be here, and I don’t know why my emotions flipped so quickly. But I’m really happy to have played this final.”
Reflecting on Mboko’s incredible run, Osaka added during the trophy ceremony: “It’s not the result you would have wanted today, but it’s been such an incredible week. You boosted your ranking and made it back into the US Open seedings. There are a lot of positives to take from this week.”
As for Victoria Mboko, her victory has firmly placed her on the tennis world’s radar. With this win, she doesn’t just enter the top 30, but she enters the conversation that has been making all the right noises.
For Naomi Osaka, the Montreal final may have ended in disappointment, but her comeback continues to gain steam.