Montreal, August 2025 — Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka reached her first WTA 1000 final in over three years but was denied the title by 18-year-old Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko, who captured her maiden WTA 1000 trophy with a 2–6, 6–4, 6–1 victory in Montreal.
The match was a compelling showcase of experience versus youth, with Osaka — of Haitian and Japanese heritage — dominating the first set through her trademark aggressive baseline play. However, Mboko, fueled by the roaring Montreal crowd chanting “Allez, Vicky!”, found her rhythm in the second set, breaking late to level the match before storming through the decider, dropping just one game.
Osaka, ranked No. 49 at the start of the tournament, impressed throughout the week with wins over top-20 players Elina Svitolina (No. 10) and Clara Tauson (No. 16). Her performance in Montreal marks a significant step forward in her comeback, showing flashes of the form that once took her to World No. 1.
In her runner-up speech, Osaka kept her remarks short but heartfelt:
“I don’t really wanna take up too much time. I’ll just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers, & volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night.”
For Mboko, the triumph was nothing short of historic. Entering the tournament ranked No. 85, she became the first player to win her debut tour-level title at a WTA 1000 event and the second-lowest ranked champion in the format’s history. Her journey to the trophy included wins over three Grand Slam champions — Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina — before overcoming Osaka in the final. The victory propels her to No. 25 in the WTA live rankings.
An emotional Mboko paid tribute to her childhood idol:
“I wanna thank Naomi for an incredible match. I’ve always looked up to her when I was really little. It’s great to play with such an amazing player like you.”
While Mboko celebrated a breakthrough moment in her young career, Osaka’s run in Montreal reminded the tennis world that she remains a force to be reckoned with — and her return to the game’s biggest stages has only just begun.
