Victoria Mboko insists she’s just like any other Gen Z teenager. She loves hanging out at local cafes and shopping at Sephora with her older sister. Her headphones are always tuned to Drake, SZA, The Weeknd, and Kendrick Lamar. She tries to fit in a TV series now and then—preferably short seasons—but usually ends up rewatching her comfort show, Modern Family.
But there’s nothing ordinary about Mboko’s rapid rise in tennis. A few weeks ago, the 18-year-old Canadian—she turns 19 on Tuesday—won her first WTA Tour title in Montréal. She became the youngest player since Serena Williams in 1999 to beat four Grand Slam champions in a single tournament. Starting the year ranked 333rd in the world, Mboko has climbed to 24th and arrives in New York City as a potential dark horse for the US Open. For the first time, she’s seeded (22nd) in the main draw of a major. (She plays Barbora Krejcikova today at 11 a.m.) It’s the latest milestone in a breakout rookie season where she’s won 53 of her 62 matches in 2025.
Speaking by phone a few days before the Open began, Mboko admits she’s still processing the importance of her big win in Montreal while adjusting to how much her life has changed.
“A lot has happened, don’t get me wrong, but it makes me happy,” Mboko says, as she was shuttled between TV studios during a busy media day in Toronto. “After the finals, when I got back to my hotel room, my phone was blowing up a bit, but I was so tired I just tried to fall asleep as fast as I could.”
Among all the messages she received, one stands out: As Mboko dropped to her knees on match point in Montreal, the crowd in Toronto—about 330 miles away—who were following her match on their phones while watching the men’s singles final in person, suddenly erupted in cheers. Needless to say, Ben Shelton (who went on to win the men’s event) and his opponent Karen Khachanov were puzzled by the interruption. “Ben gave me a shout-out on his Instagram story and congratulated me,” Mboko recalls. “I kind of apologized—I was like, ‘I’m sorry!’ It’s really funny that it happened, but we were both just happy for each other.”
Mboko is the latest in a wave of Canadians from immigrant families—including Bianca Andreescu, Leylah Fernandez, Milos Raonic, Denis Shapovalov, and Felix Auger-Aliassime—who have reached the top of the sport in the last decade. A promising junior player held back by recurring knee injuries in recent years, Mboko spent much of last year training in Belgium at the academy of former world number one and seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin.
In 2025, under the guidance of Nathalie Tauziat, a former world number three who now coaches for Canada’s tennis federation, Mboko dominated the ITF circuit—the minor league of pro tennis—winning 28 of her first 29 matches and five titles, while dropping only two sets. She pushed former world number two Paula Badosa to a final-set tiebreak in Miami. Wins in the main draws of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, along with reaching her first WTA final, only solidified her status as a rising star to watch.
“There’s a big difference between playing someone in the top 10 and playing someone on the ITF tour—they hit harder, they’re more consistent, more physically and mentally developed,” says Mboko. “But I always believe anything is possible. I knew every match would be tough and a real battle. As long as I kept my spirits up and fought as hard as I could, I knew it would be okay.”The approach sounds simple enough, but very few players in the world have Mboko’s precocious talent. As a wild card entry in this year’s Canadian Open, she says she “didn’t really have many expectations” for herself. “Honestly, just winning a round was pretty cool—I never thought I’d make it very far. But as I kept going, I went into each match aiming to win. By the quarterfinals, I thought, ‘Okay, you actually have a real shot at winning this tournament. Go for the gold.’ That changed my perspective.”
Mboko’s run on home soil felt like something out of a teenage dream. Showing remarkable poise and resilience, she beat 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and two-time Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff—who had defeated her earlier in the year in Rome. She also came from a set down to defeat 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and four-time major champion Naomi Osaka.
All seven of her matches were played on Centre Court, and as she advanced, the crowds grew larger and larger. “It’s funny—I’m not even from Montreal, but so many people came out to support me,” Mboko recalls. Her last two matches drew a sold-out crowd of over 11,000 fans, not to mention millions watching on TV across the country.
Mboko credits those energetic crowds for helping push her through. During the third set of her semifinal against Rybakina, she fell awkwardly on her right wrist. The next morning, the inflammation was so severe she could barely brush her hair or teeth, let alone hold a racquet. She and her team went to a local clinic for an MRI and X-ray to rule out serious injury. Once cleared to play, she had her wrist tightly wrapped and took painkillers. (She’s been rehabbing ever since the final.)
Though she never showed her discomfort, Mboko admits that kind of mental toughness hasn’t always come easily. “But as I got older, I understood more why staying calm on the court matters, and how mental strength can be even more important than physical ability.”
Mboko’s parents, Cyprien and Godée, moved from the Democratic Republic of Congo nearly three decades ago during the First and Second Congo Wars of the 1990s. The family lived for several years in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Mboko was born, before relocating to Toronto when she was a baby. She is the youngest of four tennis-playing siblings; her sister Gracia and brother Kevin were skilled enough to play at the collegiate level. “I remember watching them from the stands and wanting to be part of it, but I was too young to join in,” she recalls with a laugh. “We’re very competitive with each other, and I think that played a big role in shaping the attitude I have on court now.”
Competing regularly against older, bigger players taught Mboko to take control of points early. “I’ve always been a really aggressive player,” she says. “I like to hit winners and start points with a big serve. My style of play demands a lot physically, which I think has always been an advantage—but learning to control that power was another challenge. You can be powerful and aggressive, but without consistency, it won’t work.”
What makes Mboko such a formidable opponent is her ability to shift smoothly from defense to offense. She can overpower rivals with her strength or use her speed and defensive skills to force errors. Unsurprisingly, her athletic, all-court style brings to mind her childhood idol, Serena Williams. After watching Serena and her older sister Venus compete,Following in the footsteps of her sister Venus by breaking barriers in a predominantly white sport, she admits it feels surreal to now be in a position to inspire the next generation of Black players. “Being a role model for other kids is really special to me,” she says. “I always remember being that little girl who looked up to so many players, and thankfully, I now get to play alongside some of them.”
As she turns her focus to the US Open—the Grand Slam she has always dreamed of winning—Mboko is well aware that “there will be a lot of pressure and attention on me.” Off the court, she has become more recognizable in public and, since her breakthrough in Montreal, has been flooded with media requests. On the court, she will need to adjust to being the one others are chasing, rather than the underdog.
But Mboko, who faces a tough opening-round match against two-time Grand Slam singles champion Krejcikova, insists her mindset remains unchanged. “I don’t really put pressure on myself,” she says, sounding like a relaxed teenager with her whole career ahead of her. “I just see it as a privilege to play in a Grand Slam and even be seeded. I want to enjoy the moment as much as I can.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Victoria Mboko at the US Open designed to be clear and helpful for all levels of interest
General Beginner Questions
Q Who is Victoria Mboko
A She is a rising Canadian tennis star still in her teenage years who is making a name for herself on the professional tour
Q How old is Victoria Mboko
A She is 17 years old
Q Is this her first major tournament
A No she has competed in other Grand Slam events but the US Open is one of the biggest stages in tennis
Q What does her mindset anything is possible mean
A It means she believes in herself completely She goes into every match with the confidence that she can win no matter how famous or highly ranked her opponent is
Q Why is her participation in the US Open such a big deal
A Its a big deal because shes a young exciting talent competing against the best players in the world showing that the next generation of tennis is here
Advanced InDepth Questions
Q What is Victoria Mbokos current ranking
A Her ranking changes weekly but she has been climbing rapidly through the WTA rankings and was inside the Top 300
Q What is her playing style
A She is known for being an aggressive baseliner with a powerful game strong groundstrokes and a fighting spirit on the court
Q Has she won any notable matches or titles before the US Open
A Yes she has had success on the ITF Circuit and has scored wins over players ranked much higher than her which is a sign of her potential
Q What are the biggest challenges she faces at a tournament like the US Open
A The main challenges are the immense pressure the experience of seasoned opponents the loud and large crowds and the physical demand of playing potentially multiple bestofthreeset matches
Q Who coaches Victoria Mboko
A She has been coached by former professional tennis player Frédéric Niemeyer who has been instrumental in her development
Practical Fan Questions