After the Venus Williams wildcard controversy last week, there’s no such discussion in Montreal! On a raucous Thursday night at IGA Stadium, 18-year-old Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko etched her name into tennis history, defeating 4-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to win her 1st WTA title at the 2025 National Bank Open.
The victory marked Mboko as the 1st player to claim a maiden tour-level title at a WTA 1000 event since the format’s inception in 2009 and the 2nd-youngest ever to defeat 4 Grand Slam champions in a single tournament, behind only Serena Williams.
A Star-Studded Path to the Final
Mboko’s path to the final was nothing short of extraordinary. She toppled 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin (6-2, 6-3) in the 2nd Rd., No. 1 seed and 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff (6-1, 6-4) in the 4th Rd, and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4)) in the semi-finals. Against Osaka, ranked No. 49, Mboko faced an experienced opponent chasing her first title since the 2021 Australian Open.
Osaka’s Early Dominance
The final began with Osaka in command. The 27-year-old broke Mboko’s serve early, capitalizing on the Canadian’s shaky start, which included 2 double faults and 22 unforced errors in the 1st set. Osaka closed the set 6-2, her forehand dictating play as Mboko struggled to find pace. The partisan crowd, chanting “Allez Vicky,” tried to lift their hometown hero, but Osaka’s experience looked like it might be enough.
Mboko’s Turnaround
However, with a home crowd behind her, the tide turned in the 2nd set. Mboko, shaking off a wrist injury sustained in her semi-final against Rybakina, broke Osaka to open the set, drawing a netted backhand with her defensive tenacity. The next 5 games saw a flurry of breaks, with Mboko’s depth and aggression forcing Osaka into errors. Despite serving at just 120 km/h at times—well below her usual 180 km/h—Mboko held for 4-2. Osaka clawed back 1 break with Mboko’s 3 double faults in a single game, but the Canadian held firm, leveling the match 6-4 as Osaka’s groundstrokes faltered.
A Decisive 3rd Set
The 3rd set was a masterclass in composure. Yet it wasn’t the seasoned Osaka. The poise was coming from Mboko’s end of the court. After 3 consecutive breaks to start, she locked in during an 18-point game, fending off 4 break points with a deft forehand dropshot to lead 3-1.
Osaka’s frustration boiled over, earning a warning for smacking a ball into the stands after a fault. Mboko capitalized, breaking Osaka 7 times out of 8 opportunities across the match. In the final game, down 40-15, Mboko sprinted to the net, reaching a ball just before its 2nd bounce to spark a comeback. A massive forehand winner followed, and Osaka’s shot sailing long set up match point. Mboko sealed the victory with 4 quick points, dropping to her knees as the crowd erupted.
Post-Match Moments
In her victory speech, Mboko looked like she belonged, saying, “I want to thank Naomi for an incredible match. I always looked up to her when I was really little. It’s always great to play with such an amazing player like you.”
Osaka, visibly emotional, kept her runners-up speech brief, which is not unusual, knowing her history of public speaking: “I don’t really want to take up too much time, so I will just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, and the ball kids, and the organisers, and the volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night.”
She did not acknowledge Mboko, a departure from tradition, which was quite disappointing. Despite obviously being upset with the result, someone with Osaka’s standing in the game, should be able to put that aside for a few minutes.
A Bright Future Ahead
Mboko’s triumph propels her from No. 85 to No. 25 in the WTA rankings, securing a seed at the upcoming US Open. Osaka, despite the loss, showed signs of her vintage form, reaching her first WTA 1000 final since 2022 and boosting her ranking from No. 49, to, ironically, No. 24 – a single place ahead of Mboko. Both players are set to compete in the Cincinnati Open, with the US Open looming on August 24.
Mboko’s win places her among Canadian greats Faye Urban (1969) and Bianca Andreescu (2019) as the only women to claim the National Bank Open title in the Open Era, and the first to do so in Montreal. For the teenager who started 2025 outside the top 300, this is one of the all-time great runs in a season.
It’s not over yet…
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