MONTREAL — Witnessing the excitement at the conclusion of another home victory captures the essence of MbokoMania perfectly.
As Jessica Bouzas Maneiro’s final shot sailed beyond the baseline, the electrified Montreal crowd erupted in a symphony of cheers. With a beaming smile, Victoria Mboko struck a pose, hand on hip and free hand raised with her palm open, shaking her head in disbelief. It was as if she was declaring, ‘Can you believe this incredible journey is unfolding right here, right now?’
Now just two victories away from clinching the National Bank Open presented by Rogers title in her debut main draw, the 18-year-old Canadian dazzled the enthusiastic crowd, including her tail-wagging dog Ivy, as she overcame Spain’s Bouzas Maneiro with a score of 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals on Monday.
“I continue to surprise myself,” Mboko expressed in a post-match interview with Sportsnet’s Danielle Michaud shortly after her triumph.
With an impressive tally of 51 wins this year, she won’t remain a surprise much longer.
As a younger player, Mboko often dreamt of the thrill of competing on Centre Court at her training base.
Now she’s taken on five matches there and lost only a single set throughout her fledgling WTA Tour career.
“I’m genuinely thrilled, to start with,” Mboko shared with reporters roughly an hour after her 77-minute match. “Achieving something like this in a tournament of this magnitude is a significant milestone for me. I’m just so delighted to have had this whole experience in Montreal.”
While the match may not have been the epitome of tennis excellence—both Mboko and Bouzas Maneiro, 22, racked up unforced errors, likely due to the pressure of their first big-stage encounter—it was a display of heart and determination.
Though she didn’t replicate the commanding performance that sent top seed Coco Gauff packing in just 62 minutes two nights ago, Mboko elevated her game at critical junctures and gained momentum as the match progressed. After trailing 2-0 in the second set, she swiftly regained control, unleashing a six-game streak to finish the match against the world No. 51. This was not a case of a rising star succumbing to pressure.
“I put in a lot of effort to fight back after being down 2-0,” Mboko reflected. “She broke me in the opening game of the second set, and it felt like that moment demanded a fighter’s spirit. I was determined to respond and did everything I could to keep up with her intensity.”
We’re starting to see Mboko’s signature style emerge.
Struggling on serve? The Canadian expertly delivered five service winners to secure a crucial game in the first set after falling behind 15-40.
If her opponent falters on serve? Mboko capitalized by winning 16 of 20 points on Bouzas Maneiro’s second serve. Admittedly, the Spaniard offered some unintentional gifts, but that’s expected from a 22-year-old making her first semifinal appearance on the WTA Tour. Fewer errors and timely winners from Mboko kept the pressure mounted, as Bouzas Maneiro had spent over three hours more than her on the court in the tournament’s opening rounds.
Following the customary handshakes, Mboko raised both fists in triumph, clapping her racket and blowing kisses to the adoring crowd. This marks a historic moment, as she’ll be the first Canadian woman to compete in the semifinals in Montreal since the Open Era began in 1968. Furthermore, she becomes only the second Canadian woman to reach the NBO semis since 1970, following Bianca Andreescu’s championship victory in Toronto in 2019.
On Wednesday, Mboko will embrace her underdog role in the semifinal against No. 9 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan. The 2022 Wimbledon champion was leading her quarterfinal against Marta Kostyuk with a score of 6-1, 2-1 when the Ukrainian had to retire due to a wrist injury.
Rybakina previously defeated Mboko 6-3, 7-5 in the round of 16 less than two weeks ago in Washington.
“I definitely don’t expect an easy match,” Mboko acknowledged. “Having faced her before, I know what’s coming. I just need to elevate my game and maintain my rhythm against her. She possesses incredible groundstrokes and a powerful serve.”
Ranked 85th before the tournament began, Mboko is now ensured a spot in the top 50 following this event. If she clinches the title, she could even break into the top 25.
This achievement is within reach. None of the top five seeds advanced to the quarterfinals, creating an opening for new contenders.
Besides that, Mboko is set to earn at least US$206,100 for reaching the semifinals, which amounts to more than half of her total earnings this year ($396,293).
Starting the year ranked outside the top 300, Mboko kicked off 2025 by dominating lower-tier competitions before making her mark on tour. She now boasts an impressive record of 51-9 this season.
“I don’t feel completely fresh, yet I’m not overly fatigued either,” she shared. “Having a day in between each match has really helped me regroup and recover. I’ve been doing what I need to do to stay prepared, and the night matches give me ample time during the day for rest and relaxation. I think I’m feeling pretty good right now.”
‘Pretty good’ might just be an understatement.
Regardless of the outcome on Wednesday, this week has already proven to be an extraordinary success.
