Toronto’s Victoria Mboko impressed the Montreal crowd in her first appearance at the National Bank Open tennis tournament on Sunday. In her debut on home turf, Mboko defeated Australia’s Kimberly Birrell with a score of 7-5, 6-3 on Centre Court at IGA Stadium. Throughout the match, Mboko showcased her strong serving skills, delivering 15 aces with speeds exceeding 180 km/h, along with some impressive forehand winners that energized the spectators.
Mboko took an early lead by breaking Birrell in the first game, but Birrell quickly retaliated by breaking back in the subsequent game. The set remained tight until the final game, where Mboko secured a break to claim the set 7-5. In the second set, Mboko capitalized on a crucial break in the fourth game, aided by a double fault from Birrell, to go up 3-1. She maintained her lead, winning the set 6-3 and the match in straight sets.
At just 18 years old and ranked 88th globally, Mboko received a wild card entry into the WTA 1000 main draw alongside six other Canadians. Her remarkable ascent in the 2025 season, starting from the 350th rank, includes a 46-8 record and a notable streak of 22 consecutive match wins at the ITF Challenger tour level. She also made impressive showings at the French Open and Wimbledon, reaching the third and second rounds, respectively.
Following her first-round victory, Mboko is set to face American Sofia Kenin in the next round. Meanwhile, Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, in her main draw debut, fell to Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 earlier in the day. The tournament also saw 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova advancing to the second round after defeating Alexandra Eala in a three-set match.
The upcoming matches at the National Bank Open include Canadian veterans Bianca Andreescu facing Barbora Krejcikova and Rebecca Marino taking on French qualifier Elsa Jacquemot. The tournament features a revamped 12-day, 96-player format, with action continuing daily at IGA Stadium until the final on August 7.
