Alexandra Eala and Victoria Mboko are among the many rising stars on the WTA Tour right now, which is heading for a bright future.
More experienced players such as Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek won’t go away anytime soon, but the WTA can relax knowing it is in safe hands going forward.
Younger players such as Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva are already well-established, but Mboko is particularly exciting former player Rennae Stubbs.
The former doubles number one was tasked with discussing a handful of WTA rising stars other than Mboko, including Eala, but she believes the Canadian is the one to watch.
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Victoria Mboko told she is more likely to win a Grand Slam than Alexandra Eala
When asked for her view on Eala, Zeynep Sonmez and Eva Lys, she said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast: “Yeah, I mean look, Eala has a little bit of limitations.
“I think all these players have a little bit of limitations. They’re teeny tiny. And look, Jasmine Paolini made two Grand Slam finals and she’s teeny tiny as well.
“I don’t know what’s going on with her right now, but she certainly has lost her way as well. But I think they just have some limitations.
“They don’t have huge serves, they don’t have big games. The way the players play now you have to have weapons.
“So if they can produce winners against players that move really well and then turn defence into offence a little bit easier, that’s where it gets a little bit harder.
“You look at someone like Victoria Mboko. Now that’s a different story. She has huge weapons and she moves great.
“So I would side with someone like Mboko to win a Grand Slam over those three that we just talked about.”
Victoria Mboko vs Alexandra Eala on the WTA Tour
Mboko is already a WTA top 10 player at the age of 19, with the teenager currently in her career-high rank of ninth.
She also boasts two titles from her brief but exciting career so far, having emerged victorious in Montreal and Hong Kong.
That is in stark contrast to 20-year-old Eala, who has yet to claim a WTA title and has a career-high rank of 29.
But both youngsters are definitely heading for very exciting futures, with their latest exploits involving an appearance at the Italian Open.
Alexandra Eala will finish 2026 ranked — in the world
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Eala has been drawn against Magdalena Frech in her opening match in Rome, while 10th seed Mboko meets the winner of Lisa Pigato and Tyra Grant.
The pair have met once in their WTA careers so far, with the Canadian defeating the Filipina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 en route to her Hong Kong title last year.
Also in the field for the Italian Open is defending champion Paolini, who lost the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024, and is currently ranked eighth in the world.
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