Victoria Mboko Victorious Over Bianca Andreescu in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan – Victoria Mboko returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since her championship run in Montreal, defeating fellow Canadian Bianca Andreescu 6-3, 6-3 at the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday. The match lasted just 1 hour and 15 minutes, and this victory sets Mboko up for a second-round clash with Eva Lys.

Fresh off her title in Montreal, Mboko faced challenges on tour, losing four straight first-round matches against tough competition. However, her return to home soil has revitalized her performance. In April, she secured two victories at the Billie Jean King Cup on the same court she played on Tuesday, bringing her back to a familiar setting.

“Playing here kind of made me think back to April,” Mboko remarked after her win. “I had a really great week and had a lot of fun playing on this court. When I was walking back out today, I had the same feeling. It brought me some nostalgia, and I felt really happy to be here. To play on center court is always really nice.”

Despite a tough stretch earlier this season due to a wrist injury and challenging draws, Mboko displayed remarkable skill in her match against Andreescu. She quickly raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set, which she claimed in just 35 minutes. Maintaining momentum, she broke Andreescu early in the second set and served out the match decisively.

Mboko attributed her success to “clean tennis,” highlighting her impressive performance with 70% of her first serves in play and winning 77% of those points. Andreescu could only break her once in the first set and struggled on return throughout the match. Ultimately, Mboko finished with more winners (20) than unforced errors (18) and never trailed.

Looking ahead, Mboko will face Eva Lys, who defeated Katie Boulter in the first round. The two players previously met at Roland Garros, where Mboko won in straight sets. A victory for Mboko in the upcoming match would mark her second time reaching the WTA-level quarterfinals.