Victoria Mboko announced herself to the tennis world at the Canadian Open, winning her first WTA title at just 18 years of age.
The teenager enjoyed an impressive campaign, becoming the second woman in history to knock out four former Grand Slam champions in a single tournament, older than only Serena Williams.
Mboko beat world number two Coco Gauff, 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, and finally Naomi Osaka, who has four major trophies to her name.
She was ranked outside the top 300 at the start of the year, but after her triumph, she is now the world number 24.
Fans are getting excited about Mboko, including former American star Andy Roddick, who had high praise for the Canadian after the final.
Andy Roddick reacts to Victoria Mboko’s Canadian Open win
On the ‘Served’ podcast, Roddick said: “You don’t want to be hyperbolic, but I was looking for something to come in here and talk about and say she got away with it this week, but let’s see.
“I don’t know. Pending something you don’t see or something going on behind the scenes or injury, she looks like a pretty complete package.
“Power off both sides, margin off both sides. Nice shape off the shot. Serve is big, could get a little bit more consistent.
“It seems like she can switch direction, but she doesn’t need to as much because she can create pace through the middle and defend with her legs.
“We talk about that with Novak [Djokovic], control the centre of the court. She is fine with you taking your cuts; she will let you swing.
“Chips on the run, that little hacked forehand on the run. I don’t know, this is so real.
“This isn’t like something we are going to be talking about, saying ‘remember that run we had, I wish it was more like that all the time’. I think she is here. She looks like a top-five player.”
Andy Roddick impressed by Victoria Mboko’s 2025 record
So far in 2025, Mboko has tallied a record of 53 wins and just nine losses across both WTA and Challenger events.
Roddick said: “You win that much and people go that was Challengers. I don’t care. You are beating professionals that consistently, that means more to me.
“What she did in the challengers this year means more to me than if a 16 year old made a final of some random low-level event and had a good week.
Mboko’s last four results:
- French Open – Third round
- Wimbledon – Second round
- Washington Open – Second round
- Canadian Open – Champion
“The volume of three months of dominating the lower tiers, I guarantee you that got everybody’s attention who knew what they were looking at.
“That means more than a standout four or five days. This result happens not because you have one good week, it’s because you have earned a base over three or four months and you have earned your ranking.
“This was not done through handouts and wildcards; she went and did it the hard way and got her ranking up. Props.”
After withdrawing from Cincinnati, the young star will now set her sights on a debut campaign at the US Open.
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