An unknown young tennis player unexpectedly wins the Canadian Open.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Before the 2025 Canadian Open, Victoria Mboko hadn't made a big impression on tennis fans worldwide, however, the 18-year-old had two excellent weeks of competition to win the championship.

Young tennis player Victoria Mboko caused a sensation at the WTA Canadian Open by defeating former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the final on the morning of August 8th, thus winning her first WTA title.

Mboko, 18 years old, is making her first appearance in a WTA final and has played impressively, preventing Osaka from winning another title since the 2021 Australian Open. The 27-year-old Japanese star is still struggling to regain her peak form since returning to competition in early 2024 after maternity leave.

Mboko wins his first major title of his career (Photo: Getty).

At the start of the season, Mboko was outside the top 300 in the world. However, with her impressive performance, she rose to 85th place before the tournament began and is expected to jump to 34th in the world after this historic victory.

Cheered on by the enthusiastic home crowd on the center court, Mboko successfully converted eight of her nine break-point opportunities, securing her fourth victory this week against a Grand Slam champion. Her remarkable run included defeating former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the second round, reigning Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round, and saving a dramatic match point to overcome former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals.

In the first set, Osaka displayed superior power and precision, giving her younger, less experienced opponent few opportunities. She quickly secured a break to lead 3-0 and finished the set with Mboko making a staggering 22 unforced errors.

However, Mboko staged a spectacular comeback in the second set with a total of seven breaks of serve. Osaka appeared disoriented as Mboko increased the pressure, with the Canadian breaking Osaka's serve and taking a 5-2 lead. Although Mboko committed three double faults and had his serve broken to win the set, and Osaka capitalized on this with a clean service game, Mboko still won the next game.

Osaka seemed to lose her composure when she was broken in the opening game of the third set. Although Mboko couldn't consolidate her advantage, Osaka found herself in a difficult position in the third game, receiving a warning for hitting the ball into the air in frustration after missing her first serve at break-point, and she lost the game with another incorrect forehand. This marked the beginning of Mboko's five-game winning streak.

Both players struggled to hold their service games, and while the Canadian saved four break points to maintain a 3-1 lead, Osaka faced an insurmountable challenge. When Osaka hit a backhand into the net on the deciding point, Mboko collapsed to the court as the crowd erupted in another round of applause, celebrating her historic victory.

Osaka was energized in Montreal after a change of coach, and she achieved her best performance at a WTA 1000 tournament since reaching the final in Miami in 2022.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/tay-vot-tre-vo-danh-bat-ngo-vo-dich-canadian-open-20250808090748891.htm