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Allez Vicky, The 'Unbelievable'

The Straits Times

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August 09, 2025

'Surreal' for Mboko as crowd salute her fourth victory over a Grand Slam winner in Osaka

Allez Vicky, The 'Unbelievable'

MONTREAL - Everything went right for teenager Victoria Mboko at her home Canadian Open, as she announced herself as a rising star in women's tennis.

On Aug 7, she conquered four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, capping a fairy-tale run with her first WTA Tour title.

Mboko, 18 and playing in her first final, denied Osaka her first tour-level title since the 2021 Australian Open. Despite being a set down, she wore down the Japanese star, 27, who has struggled to find consistency since returning from maternity leave early in 2024.

Mboko, who was ranked outside the top 300 to start the season and had climbed to 85th entering the week, is now projected to rise to 24th in the world.

Before an ecstatic centre-court crowd of 11,000, she converted eight of her nine break points, seizing her fourth win of the week over a Grand Slam winner.

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