Aryna Sabalenka’s conquest to regain her Australian Open title goes on, as she has secured her spot in the fourth round.
However, the task gets no easier, as she is now poised for a clash against one of the sport’s youngest and brightest talents: Victoria Mboko.
The Canadian shot to fame last year when she won her home event, claiming her maiden Masters 1000 title against the odds.
It was a fairytale story, and one that was clearly no fluke. She too has earned her spot in the fourth round of the Australian Open in what is her main draw debut in Melbourne.
Aryna Sabalenka speaks about facing Victoria Mboko at the Australian Open
Speaking about their upcoming clash, Aryna Sabalenka admitted that she has never actually spoken to Mboko, let alone played against her.
However, she’s well aware of the threat she poses. The Belarusian admitted: “I never actually talked to her, never had chance to hit, to practice with her. I only seen her outside. I was watching some matches. Yeah, she’s a great player. She’s a fighter. She’s playing really good, aggressive tennis.”
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Asked about how she might have dealt with the pressure that has fallen on her young shoulders, Sabalenka added: “I feel like maybe for me, like, it would be really tough to handle the success at young age. But I feel like now seeing these girls, so like young age achieving so much, playing such a great tennis, being really mature; it’s incredible. I feel like they mature much faster than, for example, on my example, than I did.
“It’s incredible to see how actually, like, smart they are and the approach is really, really good. They have a great team around them. It’s cool to see.”
She also then explained the uniqueness of this challenge, facing a youngster with seemingly nothing to lose: “Yeah, that’s the challenge.
“They go out there and they have nothing to lose. But also, at the same time, I don’t believe that mentality that they have nothing to lose because I’ve been in their shoes. You still go out there with hopes that you’re going to win this one, you’re going to be the young one to win the slam. They still have something to lose.
“For me, I’ll have the same approach. Doesn’t matter what my opponents are feeling like, or what they are experiencing, for me it’s the same. I have to go out there, I have to bring my best tennis and fight for every point. That’s my approach.
“Once again, she’s an aggressive player. She’s playing really great tennis. Really heavy shots. I’m also quite experienced, quite aggressive.
“I know it’s going to be a great battle. I’m super excited to face her for the first time.”
Victoria Mboko’s sensational breakout year
As touched upon, 2025 really was a breakout year for Mboko.
However, her year didn’t start in Canada, where she won the title. The teenage sensation had already been enjoying a fine run of form beforehand anyway.
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Mboko surged through the qualifiers at both the French Open and Wimbledon, reaching the third and second rounds respectively, in her debut at these events.
And, she pushed Coco Gauff all the way in Rome too, with Gauff praising Mboko afterwards.
Naturally, her Canadian Open title really catapulted her status, and she seems poised to maintain her upward trajectory into 2026.
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