Home SPORTS Naomi Osaka Sets Up Final Showdown with Victoria Mboko at Canadian Open

Naomi Osaka Sets Up Final Showdown with Victoria Mboko at Canadian Open

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Victoria Mboko
Victoria Mboko defeated Elena Rybakina 


Naomi Osaka and Victoria Mboko set up a thrilling final at the Canadian Open after both players secured gritty semi-final wins. Osaka defeated Clara Tauson 6-2, 7-6(7), while Mboko edged Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4).


 “I'm excited to play my first hard court final back...”


Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka set up a thrilling championship showdown at the WTA Canadian Open in Montreal after both players secured gritty semi-final wins on Wednesday.


Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, came from behind to defeat Clara Tauson 6-2, 7-6(7) in a nail-biting match, saving two set points in the second-set tiebreak to chase her first tour-level title since the 2021 Australian Open. Tauson had previously beaten Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek and Australian Open winner Madison Keys.


Victoria Mboko edged out Elena Rybakina in a nail-biting 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) win, saving a match point to reach the final of the Canadian Open.


The 18-year-old wildcard credited the energetic crowd with fueling her comeback, which followed a tumble that left her with a sore right wrist in the third set of her first tour-level semi-final.


Victoria Mboko showed remarkable resilience, overcoming an early break in the third set and a match point against her to force a tiebreak. She loaded up on her forehand to break Rybakina in the 10th game, leveling the set and ultimately winning 7-6(4).


The 18-year-old's determination was evident after a tumble left her with a sore right wrist, but she refused to let the injury affect her performance, even producing a crucial break to stay in the match.


A pair of untimely double faults by Victoria Mboko allowed Elena Rybakina to break back for a 6-5 lead, but Mboko was quickly broken back to love in the next game, forcing the match into a tiebreak.

"After I had that fall, I wasn't in the greatest spirits, but I'm happy that I kept my composure and I was kind of patient in the right moments," Mboko said, reflecting on her resilience after a stressful tiebreak where she won the last three points.


“Anything can happen,” an exhausted Mboko beamed as the crowd's cheers rained down on her.


“Unfortunately I fell, but I had everyone supporting me and pushing me.”


Victoria Mboko has made a remarkable climb from being ranked outside the top 300 at the start of the season to 85th, thanks to her hard work in lower-level tournaments.




Regardless of the outcome against Naomi Osaka, Mboko is guaranteed to break into the top 40. Osaka, a former world No. 1, has struggled to find consistency since returning from maternity leave in 2024.


Resurgent Osaka

Naomi Osaka dominated the first set against Clara Tauson, but Tauson fought back in the second, twice regaining a break and pushing the set to a tiebreaker. Tauson took a 6-4 lead in the tiebreaker, giving her chances to level the match, but Osaka ultimately prevailed.




Clara Tauson couldn't convert her set points, but she did save one match point to make it 7-7 in the tiebreaker. However, Osaka won the next two points to seal the 6-2, 7-6(7) victory, advancing to her first WTA 1000 final since Miami in 2022.


“Definitely really happy,” said Osaka, who started the week ranked 49th in the world. “I'm excited to play my first hard court final back,” she added, after securing a spot in the championship match.




Osaka's performance this week guarantees a ranking boost, ensuring she'll be seeded at the upcoming US Open. She now prepares to face Victoria Mboko, a player who has cited Osaka as an idol in the past.


Osaka praised Victoria Mboko's impressive performance, saying, “I watched her play today because they were the match in front of us. I thought it was really impressive how she stayed calm.” Osaka also commended Mboko's resilience, noting that her rebound from match point down was “really impressive for an 18-year-old.”




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