The tennis world is abuzz with the meteoric ascent of 18-year-old Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko, whose stunning victory at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal has catapulted her 61 spots up the WTA rankings to a career-high No. 24. The wildcard entrant’s fairytale run, culminating in a thrilling 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, marked her first WTA Tour title and etched her name alongside legends like Serena Williams as one of the few teenagers to defeat four major winners in a single tournament. Osaka, meanwhile, surged 24 places to No. 25, reclaiming her spot in the top 30 for the first time since January 2022, setting the stage for a highly anticipated US Open.
Mboko’s journey in Montreal was a masterclass in resilience and raw talent. Starting the year ranked No. 333, she entered the Canadian Open at No. 85, a testament to her relentless success on the ITF circuit, where she won five titles, including a W75 event in Porto, Portugal. Facing a daunting draw, Mboko toppled 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin (6-2, 6-3), world No. 2 Coco Gauff (6-1, 6-4), 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina (1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4)), and Osaka, becoming the third Canadian woman to win the event in the Open Era, following Faye Urban (1969) and Bianca Andreescu (2019). “When I had that winning moment and seeing so many people standing up and cheering for me, it was kind of a surreal experience,” Mboko said, reflecting on the electric atmosphere at IGA Stadium, where 11,000 fans roared her to victory.[](https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/45922996/victoria-mboko-tops-naomi-osaka-montreal-1st-wta-title)
Despite a wrist injury that required an MRI and X-rays hours before the final, Mboko’s grit shone through. “There were some moments where it was aggravating me a lot,” she admitted, describing how she shook her bandaged wrist during the match, which saw 13 service breaks, with Mboko converting eight of nine break points. Her defining moment came in the third set, racing to the net for a lunging return that sparked a deafening crowd reaction, sealing her momentum shift. “I just kept saying to myself, ‘You have one more to go,’” she said, channeling her belief that “the sky’s the limit.” Her $752,275 prize money pushed her career earnings past $1 million, a staggering leap from $458,001 before the tournament.[](https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/45922996/victoria-mboko-tops-naomi-osaka-montreal-1st-wta-title)[](https://www.tsn.ca/tennis/victoria-mboko-defeats-naomi-osaka-in-nbo-final-for-first-career-wta-victory-1.2343862)
Osaka’s resurgence was equally compelling. The 27-year-old, who stepped away from tennis for 15 months after welcoming her daughter Shai in July 2023, reached her first WTA 1000 final since Miami 2022. Defeating top-20 players like Jeļena Ostapenko and Elina Svitolina, she saved two match points against Liudmila Samsonova, showcasing her trademark power. However, her 13 double faults and frustration with the partisan crowd led to a third-set collapse. “This morning I was very grateful. I don’t know why my emotions flipped so quickly,” Osaka reflected, apologizing on Threads for not congratulating Mboko during her brief runner-up speech: “I also want to say sorry and congratulations to Victoria. You played a great match.” Her return to No. 25 ensures a seeded spot at the US Open, a significant milestone in her comeback.
The rankings shakeup saw other notable movements. Elena Rybakina, despite her semi-final loss, re-entered the top 10 at No. 10, while Clara Tauson’s back-to-back top-10 wins over Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys lifted her to a career-high No. 55. Emma Raducanu, however, slipped six spots to No. 39 after a third-round exit, and Leylah Fernandez dropped to No. 26, overtaken by Mboko as Canada’s top woman. Aryna Sabalenka, absent from Montreal, maintained her No. 1 ranking with a 4,341-point lead over Gauff, who fell to Mboko, and Iga Swiatek, who trails by 736 points.
Mboko’s rise, fueled by a powerful serve, counterpunching backhand, and deft drop shots, has drawn praise from peers like Gauff, who noted, “She’s playing some of the best tennis in the world.” With a performance bye at the Cincinnati Open, though she may withdraw to rest her wrist, Mboko heads to the US Open as a seeded player, carrying the hopes of a nation. “I’m truly a believer of, you can do anything you’re inspired to do,” she said, her journey from a Burlington court to global stardom embodying that ethos.
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