Victoria Mboko Wins Debut Match at National Bank Open

MONTREAL — Victoria Mboko of Toronto impressed the crowd in her main draw debut at the National Bank Open, defeating Kimberly Birrell of Australia 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday.

The match took place on IGA Stadium’s Centre Court amidst a scorching afternoon, where the 18-year-old Mboko showcased her powerful serve, recording 15 aces that often exceeded 180 kilometers per hour.

“Today was really fun,” Mboko said. “It was a really fun experience playing in front of the Canadian crowd for the first time in Montreal.”

She expressed initial nerves playing on Centre Court but gained confidence as the match progressed. She opened the first set by breaking Birrell in the Australian’s first service game, going ahead 2-0, but Birrell quickly broke back.

The two players held serve until the final game of the first set, where Mboko broke again to take it 7-5. In the second set, a pivotal moment came when Birrell committed a double fault, allowing Mboko to go up 3-1.

“I think it really made a big difference in the match because if she were to hold, it would be tied in the score,” said Mboko. “I really wanted to break her in that moment. It gave me a bigger edge in the match.”

After the break, Mboko held serve three times, securing the win in just over 90 minutes. With this victory, she extended her impressive record in 2025 to 46-8, marking a remarkable rise from being ranked No. 350 at the start of the season.

In the evening session, fellow Canadian Bianca Andreescu also advanced, defeating Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, though she experienced a scare with an ankle injury.

Mboko’s next challenge will be against American Sofia Kenin, the 23rd seed, who earned a bye into the second round. This victory underlines a bright future for Mboko as she embraces the growing support from her fans.

“I was really grateful for [the support],” she said. “I think it really helped me as well to get through the match.”