MONTREAL — Victoria Mboko’s magical run at the National Bank Open will continue into the weekend.
The 18-year-old from Toronto earned a third-round win over world No. 39 Marie Bouzkova 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 on Thursday night at IGA Stadium. Mboko overcame a one-set deficit, the first set she dropped all tournament, to defeat the Czech native in front of a loud and raucous crowd.
“There were so many people today,” said Mboko. “It was a very difficult match, I feel like, mentally and physically for me.
"I’m just really happy to have come out with the win and felt really great coming off the court with the tennis I was able to produce towards the end of the match.”
The last of nine Canadians remaining in the WTA 1000 main draw, Mboko collected her sixth win against a top-50 player.
Mboko will next play top-seeded American Coco Gauff, who defeated Russian Veronika Kudermetova in three sets earlier Thursday, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Gauff and Mboko will meet for the second time this season at a WTA 1000 tournament. The American got the better of Mboko in a second-round three-set battle on the clay courts in Rome in May.
“I’m really excited for it,” said Mboko. “She’s the No. 1 seed of this tournament. I’ve played her before and I know what I’m going to expect. I’m going to really expect a hard fight.”
Gauff also expects a tough battle this time around against a new and improved Mboko.
“She’s a great player,” said Gauff. “We played on clay, so it will be a different match. Obviously, she’s gotten more experience just being on tour and playing high-level players. It’s going to be a tough match.”
Bouzkova came out strong, breaking Mboko in her opening two service games to take a 3-0 lead.
Mboko got one of those breaks back the following game to cut the deficit to 3-1, but a trio of double faults in the fifth game gave the Czech her two-break cushion right back.
Bouzkova broke Mboko for the fourth time to take the opening set 6-1 in just 29 minutes.
“In the first set, of course, it was a very shaky start for me,” said Mboko. “It felt like one of those days where you couldn’t really understand what was going on, and you feel very off. Nothing is really working in your favour.”
After a few moments spent in the locker room, Mboko returned to the court with a vengeance.
Mboko immediately broke her rival in the opening game of the second set, a break of serve she consolidated thanks to a fortuitous bounce off the net cord that landed fair. However, Mboko’s second service game with three double faults in the match leveled the set at 2-2.
But it didn't faze Mboko, who got the break back, thanks to a double fault by her opponent.
She broke again in the ninth game to take the set 6-3.
Mboko said she shifted her mindset after that opening set, focusing particularly on her overall mobility on the court.
“In the second set, I wanted to make sure my movement was at least twice as better than it was in the first set, and my concentration as well,” said Mboko. “I feel like I wasn’t really as focused as I wanted to be.
"I wasn’t very sharp with my movement and how I was kind of moving on the court laterally, front and back and side to side.”
Bouzkova was forced to take a medical timeout after the second set with an apparent right thigh injury. Mboko took full advantage, breaking three times on her way to a 6-0 third-set.
In other results, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, seeded 24th, came from behind to beat 15th seed Daria Kasatkina, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Centre Court. Mirra Andreeva, the fourth seed, was bounced prematurely, falling to American McCartney Kessler in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
The No. 8 seed, American Emma Navarro, also suffered a disappointing loss to the 30th seed Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine, 7-5, 6-4. Ninth-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan ousted Romania's Jaqueline Cristian 6-0, 7-6 (5) in the late match.
The tournament continues through until the finals on Aug. 7.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2025.
Jordan Stoopler, The Canadian Press
