Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko staged a breathtaking comeback on Thursday to defeat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 2-6 6-4 6-1 to win her first WTA 1000 title at the Canadian Open.
The 18-year-old staged a remarkable comeback after losing the opening set to the Japanese former world number one, who had established a 3-0 lead as Mboko struggled with costly service errors.
However, the home favourite found her rhythm in the second set, breaking serve to establish a 5-2 lead. Osaka struggled to catch up, and her poor returns allowed Mboko to level the match and force a decider.
The decisive moment came in the third set, when Mboko took a 3-1 lead after saving four break points in a pivotal fourth game that gave her a firm grip on the match as she went on to claim the title after two hours and four minutes of play.
“I want to thank Naomi from an incredible match. I’ve always looked up to her when I was very little. It’s always great to play with such an amazing player like you,” Mboko said.
“I couldn’t be more grateful,” she added.
Mboko, currently ranked 85th in the world, became the first Canadian to defeat three former Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event in the Open Era, with victories over Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina.
For Osaka, who was attempting to revive her career after an inconsistent period following her return from maternity leave, the defeat brought her groundbreaking tournament to an end.
This loss also extended Osaka’s title drought; her last triumph came at the 2021 Australian Open.
