Victoria Mboko stunned the tennis world by winning her first WTA title after defeating the Japanese star Naomi Osaka. Mboko made an impressive comeback from the first set to outlast the four-time Grand Slam champion at IGA Stadium on August 7, 2025.
She became the third Canadian to win the event in Montreal on Thursday. The former World No.1 secured a strong position after winning the first set 6-2. However, the Canadian sensation battled her way back into the match during the second set and clinched it 6-4. She continued her dominance in the third set (6-1) over Osaka to win her first WTA Tour crown.
Following the heartbreaking loss, Osaka chose to keep her speech short and not attend the post-match press conference. When asked about her views on the Japanese player’s absence, Mboko stated she still reveres her opponent and looks up to her.
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“No, I didn't really get a chance to speak with her after the game, but I mean, I was kind of really caught up in everything that was happening after the match. If that was her wishes, then I respect it as well. I mean, I still think Naomi is an incredible player, and it doesn't ever change what I think of her. I think she's still a really nice girl. I still look up to her. Nothing really changes after the match. I mean, I'm really happy that I was able to win today, but I mean, to play against her was also a really special moment for me.” (via Montreal Press)
Ranked 85th in the world, Mboko advanced to the final after a 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) win against former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on Wednesday.
Victoria Mboko reveals her plan to deal with fame after her 2025 Canadian Open win
In the press conference after her win at the 2025 Canadian Open, Victoria Mboko stated that she understands she would receive massive attention since it's her first WTA title win. However, she added that she prefers a simple life, surrounding herself with friends and then carrying on with her usual routine.
"I would understand why there would be a lot of attention around it. I mean, it's my first-ever WTA championship and title. Yeah, I understand why there would be such a noise around it, but you know, I like to keep things very simple, especially in my life."
"I surround myself with people who have known me for so long, and I just like to keep a small circle," she added. "I like to be really relaxed and calm. So I think going forward, I just want to keep the same routines that I'm usually used to."
Victoria Mboko entered the tournament as a wild-card entry and became the third player, after Maria Sharapova and Bianca Andreescu, to win a WTA 1000 title.
