History is not written in silence. It is etched in moments when the world stops to witness something extraordinary. In Montreal, at the WTA Masters 1000 event, Vicky Mboko carved her name into history with a performance that stunned the world. She did not simply win matches, she dismantled expectations, culminating in a breathtaking victory over four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the finals. At just 18 years old, Mboko became the youngest Canadian to ever win the tournament, and in doing so, she signaled to the tennis world that a new era has begun.
This victory was more than a championship. It was a coronation. For years, Canada has celebrated names like Andreescu, Fernandez, and Bouchard, but now, Mboko has emerged not just as the future of Canadian tennis, but as its undeniable present. Her fearless play, raw athleticism, and unshakable composure marked a breakthrough that has electrified the sport. Montreal became the stage, but the echoes of her triumph are being heard across the globe.
Vicky Mboko’s story is not one of sudden fame but of relentless pursuit. Born into a family that left the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of opportunity, Mboko carries with her the resilience of survivors and the vision of dreamers. Tennis was not simply a game for her, it was destiny! From the time she first picked up a racquet at three years old, she carried a fire that even her older siblings, also athletes, could not ignore. That same fire burned brightest under the lights in Montreal.
Her run through the tournament was a masterclass in courage. Match after match, she toppled higher-ranked opponents with the ferocity of a veteran and the poise of a champion in waiting. By the time she reached the finals, the world had taken notice, and against Naomi Osaka, she delivered one of the most commanding performances of her career. For a young woman ranked outside the sport’s top 300 at the start of the year, the leap to becoming a WTA champion is nothing short of meteoric!
What sets Mboko apart is not only her physical skill but her mental edge. Tennis demands solitude, discipline, and an almost spiritual resilience. Time and again, Mboko has shown that she is not intimidated by the size of the stage or the weight of the moment. Instead, she thrives in it. That fighting spirit, inherited from her family’s journey and sharpened on the courts, has now made her a beacon of possibility for young athletes across Africa, Canada, and the world.
Her rise is also a triumph of representation. As a Black woman on the global stage, Mboko is rewriting what it means to be a Canadian tennis star. She embodies excellence not just for herself, but for every young girl who dares to believe she can take up space where few before her have stood. With each swing of her racquet, she is not only chasing trophies but breaking barriers, opening doors for the next generation.
“Legacy in Motion” is not just the title of this cover story, it is Vicky Mboko’s reality. At 18, her legacy is already unfolding in real time. The Montreal championship was the first of many, but its significance goes beyond the trophy. It represents the promise of a future where she continues to dominate courts, inspire millions, and carry forward the strength of her family’s sacrifices.
Vicky Mboko is not waiting to be great. She already is. And the world is finally catching up.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
RSA: At just 18, you’ve already etched your name in tennis history as the second-lowest ranked player to win a WTA 1000 title. When you look at that trophy, what does it symbolize for you beyond the numbers?
V.M: Well, looking at that trophy when I won the event obviously kind of gave me a lot more confidence within myself. Having that kind of title, I would have never thought that I was going to win something like that so early. It meant a lot to me and it kind of just symbolized everything that was going behind the scenes and what led me to the exact moment to win the title. So I think words cannot describe how it made me feel and it just wants to make me continue going for more.
RSA: You beat four Grand Slam champions, Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka, in one tournament, a feat last matched by Serena Williams as a teenager. How did you process each win, and at what point did you realize something extraordinary was happening?
V.M: Well throughout the tournament I never really thought that this was something extraordinary because for me it’s just another tournament, but you know kind of reflecting on the tournament and looking back at it. It makes me obviously think that that was pretty crazy thing to happen especially for me and It made me it made me really happy that I was able to play with them. They’re all former Grand Slam champions and I mean, Naomi was world number one. So yeah, it gave me a lot of hope and just making me realize that I’m able to do it and everything is possible. So I’d say that that was really, that really helped me a lot.
RSA: Naomi Osaka is someone you’ve openly admired. What was it like to not only face her, but to defeat her in such a defining match?
V.M: To be able to face Naomi in the finals especially it was really an incredible moment for me because of course I mentioned before that I really look up to her and I used to watch her a lot on TV growing up so I’ve always loved her game and the way she carries herself on court so I think that having to face her was was a really great moment for me I mean let alone winning the match to go on to win the title that was also really a great moment, so I think overall that experience was really nice and a lot to take away from it.
RSA: Your victory in Montreal puts you in the same category as legends like Monica Seles, Steffi Graf, Maria Sharapova, and Bianca Andreescu, all of whom won WTA 1000 titles as wildcards. How does it feel and how are you preparing to stay at the top of your game and continue to build this legacy?
V.M: It feels really great to be associated with such players like Monica Celeste, Steffi Graf, Sharapova and Bianca. So it made me feel, of course, really, really, really nice and to be associated with all of them. It just kind of shows that they all had really great careers going forward. So it gives me a lot of hope for myself because I want to have a really great career as well. And I want to be the best that I can be. So I think it’s a great stepping stone.
RSA: Just months ago, you were ranked outside the Top 300. Now you’re Canada’s No. 1 and breaking into the world’s Top 30. How are you adapting to this rapid rise in expectations and visibility?
V.M: Yes, so when I started this year, I was around 300. in the world. So to see where I am now in the top 30 is really incredible. I would have never expected that. I mean, going forward, I never really put expectations on myself because just like how I never knew that was going to happen, you never know the future. But of course, I want to keep growing as an athlete and a person. So I’m adapting to many quick changes. I mean I have to I have to I have to change a little bit faster my mentality and going into tournaments everyone is going to be really good there’s not one free ride in a match so you kind of have to step up your game physically and mentally.
RSA: Tennis is a sport of momentum and mindset. What kept you believing in yourself when you were still grinding in ITF events earlier this year?
V.M: Well at the beginning of this year my played quite a bit of ITF tournaments. I think I played six, which were all very close to each other. But having that many matches under my belt really helped me go into the WTA tour, already playing so many matches, having so much confidence. So I think that kind of grinding those events, built character quite a bit. And I’ve always believed in myself and I’ve always wanted to. Every time I enter a tournament, I want to win it. So no matter what the level is. So yeah, I think that played a detrimental part in kind of how everything went by this year.
RSA: Many athletes talk about the loneliness of the tour. How do you personally balance the solitude of competition with the energy you draw from your family and fans?
V.M: The tour can be quite lonely since, you know, you’re not, you’re always kind of in competition mode and everyone around you is your competitor. So I think it’s, for me, it’s really important to balance or have a lot of close people around and have people who are very comfortable with because you were traveling all the time too. Sometimes I get quite homesick sometimes, so I think it’s important to surround myself with people that I really enjoy being around. And I always want to make sure I’m also having a lot of fun while I’m traveling. I think that reflects on my performance as well.
RSA: You’ve become a symbol of possibility for young athletes. What’s one lesson you’ve learned on this journey that you wish someone had told you when you first picked up a racket?
V.M: One lesson I’ve learned on this journey that I wish someone had told me when I first picked up the racket was just to enjoy everything as much as you can. I think during my childhood I’ve definitely had a lot of fun. If one thing I could look back, I think every day playing tennis, I always found a lot of joy in it, making a lot of friends. I was always very competitive, so competing was always just like a game to me and tennis was always just a game to me and still is. So I think along this journey I want to have as much fun as possible and just enjoy every moment because I feel like people don’t realize that it could be really short too. I’d say that’s my one takeaway.
RSA: Your family’s sacrifices have been instrumental in getting you here, leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo to come to a new country. When you think back on that journey, from their support to the long hours behind the scenes, what emotions come up most strongly for you?
V.M: My parents immigrated I mean a little way before I was born but you know, they still carry that culture inside of them and you know, I mean immigrants coming to Canada, you know, you don’t have many easy opportunities. You have to really work hard for everything you have you get so I think they taught me with such values that that I must be very determined and focus in what I want to do and have a lot of passion. My parents have made so many sacrifices for me, especially off the court, which I’m so grateful for today because it pays off. And yeah, I mean, it makes me just remember where I come from, what my values are that I really strongly carry with me everywhere I go. And I think the emotions that come up for me is that I feel very proud of where I am. And it just makes me appreciate everything I have in life.
RSA: Was there ever a point when the dream seemed almost out of reach, and your family reminded you why you started?
V.M: I wouldn’t say any dream of mine was out of reach because I know anything is possible. But yeah, I think that kind of reflects of why you started. You kind of look at the champion holding up that big trophy or imagine being number one or looking up to many idols. So I always believed that anything was possible and the sky’s the limit. So I think dreaming… Dreaming really big is super important because I think it’s just manifesting at the end of the day and working towards your goals and once you start to see some some changes that that kind of go in your favor that you kind of realize that your dreams are a lot closer than they are and I’ve always wanted to keep believing in myself.
RSA: This RollingStone Africa shoot is your very first editorial and cover. On the court we see the competitor, how was it to step into this space of artistry, fashion, and storytelling for the first time?
V.M: It was a very different experience for me. In sports, you’re always in athletic attire. You’re always going to be sweating. You’re always running. I think stepping into this different kind of work, is a form of storytelling, but in its different form. I’m happy that I was able to kind of incorporate tennis into it a little bit and to tell my story. But yeah, I mean, I think it’s a really nice thing that I’ve experienced. And yes, I think that was super fun.
RSA: You’re now walking a path where every match feels like it could be a headline. What are the milestones you’re most determined to chase next?
V.M: Well, there’s so many, there’s so many milestones that I would wish to chase, you know. I think for me, it would always be a blessing to win a Grand Slam or to be number one in the world. But, you know, those goals have processes towards it. Then again, you never know how early something like that can come. I think every day I just want to keep improving and improving on and off the court. And yeah, I’d say to dream big and maybe win a grand slam in the future. That would be great.
RSA: When your career is one day looked back on, how do you hope people will describe the legacy of Victoria Mboko?
V.M: Well, I hope people would describe It’s hard to imagine looking back at my career because it just started honestly, but I want to make a really great impact on the sport. It’d be really a heartwarming feeling that you could somewhat change the sport with your story or where I come from. And I want to inspire the next generation of tennis, especially tennis in Canada or even tennis in Africa, if I could be a role model for many young girls or young kids who may not believe that they have a chance. But I think if I have that impact on others, that’s the type of legacy I would want to attach myself with.
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