Victoria Mboko seals incredible rankings breakthrough with thrilling Canadian Open win over Elena Rybakina
Victoria Mboko made history as she saved a match point to defeat Elena Rybakina in a pulsating semi-final at the 2025 Canadian Open.
The 18-year-old Canadian wildcard stunned ninth seed Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) in a two-hour-45-minute battle to advance to the final in Montreal.
World No 12 Rybakina broke Mboko three times to win the opening set in dominant fashion.
In the second set, Mboko was pegged back twice after being up a break before clinching the decisive third break when Rybakina served to stay in the set at 5-6.
Rybakina broke to go up 3-2 in the decider and had a match point when serving for the match at 5-4, 40-30, but Mboko survived.
The 26-year-old Kazakh broke again in the following game, but she missed a second chance to close the match out as she lost her serve to love. Mboko won the last three points of the deciding tiebreak to seal a remarkable win.
By beating 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina, Mboko became the first Canadian woman to defeat three Grand Slam winners in the same tournament in the Open Era after she also downed Coco Gauff and Sofia Kenin.
Mboko also beat Kimberly Birrell, Marie Bouzkova and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro en route to the final.
Victoria Mboko News
Who are Victoria Mboko’s parents and siblings? Canadian star’s family inspired her rise
Victoria Mboko’s coach reveals key to rising star’s success amid Canadian Open campaign
The teenager is the fourth Canadian woman to reach the final of the Canadian Open in the Open Era after Faye Urban, Vicky Berner and Bianca Andreescu.
Mboko started Montreal as the world No 85, and her run to the final has seen her make a 51-place jump to a projected new career-high ranking of 34 in the Live WTA Rankings. This puts Mboko in contention to be one of the 32 seeded players at the US Open.
The Canadian will play four-time major champion and former world No 1 Naomi Osaka, who is also unseeded, in the championship match. It is Mboko’s first-ever appearance in a WTA Tour final.
Looking ahead to the final. Mboko said: “Anything can happen, you know. It was a very difficult match against Elena. She’s such a good player. I’m so tired right now.
“I mean, unfortunately I fell. But I had everyone supporting me and pushing me through. But without you guys, I don’t think I would have been able to pull this through.”
READ NEXT: Who is Victoria Mboko’s coach? How former Wimbledon finalist is guiding rising star
