This weekend in Montreal, the spotlight will be on a Canadian talent making waves in the fourth round of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers: Victoria Mboko.
In an electrifying match on Thursday night at IGA Stadium, Mboko showcased her resilience by rallying back from a one-set deficit to triumph over world No. 39, Marie Bouzkova, with a score of 1-6, 6-3, 6-0.
Her powerful serve was on full display, firing off five aces and bringing her tournament total to an impressive 32. Coupled with her signature striking forehand, she delivered a stellar performance throughout the nearly two-hour match.
However, she also faced challenges, racking up 10 double faults during this match after only seven in her previous outings.
At just 18 years old, Mboko stands as the final Canadian in the WTA 1000 main draw; she celebrated her sixth victory against a top-50 player.
For Bouzkova, her strong run came to an end, halting a seven-match winning streak. The Czech player, a semifinalist in Toronto in 2019, was fresh off her second career WTA singles title earned in her homeland just last week.
Bouzkova started fiercely, breaking Mboko’s serve in her first two games, seizing a quick 3-0 lead.
Although Mboko managed to break back to close the gap to 3-1, a series of double faults in the fifth game allowed her opponent to regain control.
Bouzkova claimed the opening set 6-1 in a swift 29 minutes, marking the first set Mboko lost in the tournament.
After a brief break in the locker room, Mboko returned to the court with renewed determination.
She broke Bouzkova in the first game of the second set, securing the lead with a little help from a fortunate net cord bounce. Yet, a string of double faults in her second service game brought the set to a 2-2 stalemate.
Undeterred, she broke back thanks to a double fault from Bouzkova, eventually earning another break in the ninth game to take the set 6-3.
The decisive third set began similarly to the second, with Mboko racing ahead to a 2-0 lead through another early break. She maintained her momentum, sealing the set and the match with remarkable precision.
Next up for Mboko is a showdown with the top-seeded American Coco Gauff, who battled past Russian Veronika Kudermetova in three sets earlier on Thursday, finishing 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
This marks the second meeting between Gauff and Mboko this season at a WTA 1000 event, with Gauff coming out on top in a three-set clash on the clay courts of Rome back in May.
Despite her double fault struggles so far this week, Gauff, the French Open champion, remains optimistic. “Even with a part of my game not fully functional, winning matches feels rewarding,” she stated. “If I can perform at my best, it’ll surely be smoother.”
While Gauff managed to avoid an upset, several other top seeds didn’t share her luck, as their tournament journeys came to an unexpected halt earlier in the day.
Ukraine’s 24th-seed Marta Kostyuk staged a comeback against 15th-seed Daria Kasatkina, winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Centre Court. Additionally, fourth-seed Mirra Andreeva fell to American McCartney Kessler in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
In quick fashion, China’s Lin Zhu dominated against the Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens with a score of 6-2, 6-2, and will face Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro next, who triumphed over Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
The excitement continues as the tournament unfolds, culminating in the finals on August 7.
