At just 18 years old, Victoria Mboko is quickly turning heads in her debut season on the professional tennis tour. With a booming serve, sharp backhand, and impressive movement, the young Canadian made a strong statement at the French Open on Sunday, securing a win in her first-ever Grand Slam main draw match.
Mboko took down Lulu Sun — a 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinalist — 6-1, 7-6 (4), extending her winning streak on the Roland-Garros clay to eight consecutive sets, including three qualifying matches. Flashing a smile that revealed her braces, she admitted the pace of her rise has felt fast.
“It does feel quick, but I think I’m adapting fast too,” Mboko said. “I really want to be at this level. The more I treat it like it’s normal, the more normal it becomes.”
In her match against the left-handed Sun, Mboko’s serve proved to be a key weapon. She fired seven aces, topped out at 115 mph, and held serve in all ten of her service games, saving every break point she faced. With her father and two older siblings cheering from the stands on Court 9, the teenager showed poise well beyond her years.
“I love using my serve to take control of points and be aggressive,” she explained. “In women’s tennis, having a strong serve is crucial — it helps get you out of tough spots.”
Mboko grew up admiring Serena Williams and credits the 23-time Grand Slam champion as her biggest inspiration. While she doesn’t model her game entirely after Serena’s, she draws from that powerful, attacking style.
“She had such a dominant game. That’s something I hope to bring into my own style,” Mboko said. “It’s amazing to have someone like her to look up to.”
Earlier this year, Mboko began making waves by winning 22 straight matches — all in straight sets — on the ITF circuit, capturing four titles. She made her WTA debut in March at the Miami Open and won her first match there, too.
Even top players have taken notice. At the Italian Open this month, she pushed world No. 2 Coco Gauff to three sets on clay.
“She’s definitely playing high-level tennis,” Gauff said. “Her movement is right up there, and she hits big from both wings. She’s got a great backhand, and her forehand is solid too.”
Although she grew up playing mostly on indoor hard courts in Canada — a surface she still calls her favorite — Mboko is learning to embrace the red clay of Paris.
“I always thought clay was my worst surface,” she admitted. “But honestly, I’ve been doing pretty well on it. You never know — maybe it’ll grow on me.”
