Victoria Mboko’s injury nightmare is a concern for tennis legend after thumping US Open exit
Victoria Mboko’s first appearance at the US Open ended in disappointment, with Grand Slam legend Martina Navratilova expressing concerns over the wrist injury that hampered the Canadian in her 6-2, 6-3 defeat against Barbora Krejcikova.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Krejcikova has endured a miserable 12 months that have been hampered by injury, but it was a problem for her opponent that gave her a chance to record a much-needed win in New York.
Mboko instantly became a tennis superstar when she won the WTA 1000 tournament in front of her home fans in Montreal earlier this month, with that win firing her up the rankings and ensuring she would be seeded at the US Open.
Yet the wrist injury that troubled her at the back end of her amazing run in Montreal was a factor once again, as she struggled throughout with a problem that will be a concern to the 18-year-old.
Injuries are not unusual when a young player breaks through at the highest level and starts to play more intense tennis on a regular basis.
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Emma Raducanu was an example of a player who made a big breakthrough by winning this US Open and then struggled physically to maintain her fitness levels and now Mboko may need a period of adjustment before she is ready to play consistently against top level opponents.
In the opinion of 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, Mboko’s injury needs to be managed carefully, as it could have a long-time impact on her career if it not addressed now.
“That wrist was a real problem and I hope she takes care of it,” 18-time Grand Slam champion Navratilova told Sky Sports.
“There’s a lot of body parts you need but you must have a healthy wrist to play tennis.
“If it was that bad, why play at all? Again, we don’t know which part was sore but clearly it hampered her.
“This is an upset result by ranking upset but not a player upset. Mboko is hampered with her wrist which may be making a difference.
“Krejcikova has been in the top 20 for the last four years until she got injured, so it’s been a bad year for her but she’s looked good today.”
Mboko can now take a break to ensure he wrist recovers and when she returns to action, she can take satisfaction in her impressive rise up the rankings in 2025.
“To see how far I kind of came in a year, it’s really amazing and to be honest, if anything, I’m super appreciative of everything that I’ve gone through this year to get me to where I am,” she told reporters.
“I felt like I was rushing myself a little bit and needed to take more time between points and find a solution to be at ease with myself and eventually play my game better.
“If you told me last year I would have been seeded here at the U.S. Open – or even playing the U.S. Open, let alone – I would have been so happy.
“There’s some positives to take away. I feel like this is the start of a long journey.”
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