Young competitor Victoria Mboko is set to play against Naomi Osaka in the Canadian Open’s climactic match, following her unexpected triumph over Elena Rybakina, a previous champion at Wimbledon.
The 18-year-old from Canada, currently holding the 85th position globally, conceded the initial set and successfully defended against a match point during the second set, ultimately securing a 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) victory in Montreal.
Mboko, who entered the tournament as a wildcard, is scheduled to compete against Osaka, a former top-ranked player, on Thursday in what will be her debut WTA 1000 final.
“I felt the immense support from everyone, which propelled me forward,” Mboko expressed.
“I genuinely believe I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without all of you.”
The Canadian athlete, expected to climb into the top 50 of the rankings upon their next update, has already defeated notable players like Coco Gauff and Sofia Kenin during her impressive journey to the final.
She commenced the year with a world ranking of 333rd, launching her season with an astonishing streak of 22 consecutive victories.
Osaka now stands as the final obstacle to her pursuit of a significant victory, after the Japanese competitor secured a 6-2, 7-6 (9-7) win against Clara Tauson, the 16th-seeded player from Denmark.
