Just days ago, in front of a thunderous home crowd, 18-year-old Victoria Mboko shocked the tennis world by dismantling two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 to charge into the Montreal quarterfinals. Saving all five break points and converting four of five against the American, she sealed victory in just sixty-two ruthless minutes. Who could have imagined the prodigy would go on to lift the Canadian Open trophy? Yet she did, writing her name into history with her first Master’s triumph. Unlikely. Unexpected. Unforeseen. With the Canadian now crowned princess of the Canadian Open, Coco Gauff reveals her feelings for her.

Victoria Mboko, the 18-year-old Canadian wild card, etched her name into history as the winner of the Omnium Banque Nationale. On Thursday night, she delivered yet another rousing comeback, toppling four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to claim her maiden WTA Tour title.

Her breathtaking fortnight featured four victories over Grand Slam champions, Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Osaka, two of whom, Gauff and Rybakina, were top-three seeds. She became only the second youngest in the Open Era to achieve such a feat, following Serena Williams in 1999, after starting the year ranked No. 333. And as Mboko soaked in her moment of glory, Coco Gauff shared her heartfelt congratulations for the Canadian sensation.

Just an hour ago, the official WTA IG page celebrated Canada’s new queen of the court, posting a striking image of Victoria Mboko with her rackets, captioned “Allez Vicky!” and emblazoned with the words “Marvelous in Montreal.” The post radiated pride, marking her stunning triumph on home soil. Moments later, Coco Gauff amplified the celebration, sharing the image to her own Instagram stories. With the simple yet powerful word “Congratulations” and a tag to Mboko’s handle, Gauff’s gesture carried the warmth and respect of one champion acknowledging the rise of another, a passing nod to a teenager now blazing her own trail in tennis history.

Not just Coco, but Taylor Townsend, fresh off becoming world No. 1 after her DC City Open doubles triumph, joined the chorus of praise. She re-shared a video from the “Omnium Banque Nationale” Instagram channel captioned, “Precision under pressure. That’s how you win a final,” a statement dripping with truth after Mboko’s masterclass with her clip from the winning moment. Adding her own touch, Townsend posted it to her Instagram with the words, “The Moment 🏆,” sealing her admiration for the teenager’s poise and fire under the brightest lights.

Additionally, in just two hours and four minutes, the teenager carved her name into history, lifting her first-ever tour-level trophy and becoming only the third Canadian to win the Canadian Open in the Open Era, after Faye Urban in 1969 and Bianca Andreescu in 2019. She also joined an exclusive club as only the third wild card to capture a WTA 1000 crown since 2009, following Maria Sharapova in Cincinnati 2011 and Andreescu in Indian Wells 2019.

And the praise poured in. Not only did Coco Gauff celebrate the Canadian’s triumph, but her former coach also weighed in, commending Mboko’s fight while sprinkling in a sharp observation about Naomi Osaka’s faltering level in the final two sets.

Brad Gilbert speaks out on Naomi Osaka’s Montreal misstep

Under the glowing lights of Montreal, Coco Gauff’s former coach Brad Gilbert took to X, offering his sharp verdict: “Tremendous fighting and defense from Vicky Mboko, Double Osaka made ton of errors the last set and half, awesome 👏 to see the crowd in Montreal absolutely 💯 rocking.” His words painted the scene perfectly, grit on court, electricity in the stands.

The night began with uncertainty for the Canadian teenager. In her first service game, Mboko double-faulted twice and surrendered the break, her wrist still wrapped from the semifinal fall against Rybakina. Osaka, cool and clinical, raced through the opener without facing a break point, feasting on 22 unforced errors. For a moment, the clash seemed destined to be a lesson in experience over youth.

But Mboko’s week had been a symphony of comebacks. She had already clawed her way back against Bouzkova and Rybakina. This time was no different. In the second set, she broke Osaka four times, building a 5-2 lead. Osaka fought to 5-4, but Mboko, unfazed, overcame her 12th double fault to seal the set as another Osaka forehand drifted long.

The third set’s heartbeat quickened early. Mboko struck first in the third game, then came the war, six deuces, four break points saved, and a daring drop shot that ignited the Montreal crowd. The roar was deafening, the tide unmistakable.

At 4-1, she served with fire, finishing with an ace. Another Osaka error brought her to the brink, and then the final blow, an eighth break. As Osaka’s backhand crashed into the net, Mboko fell to her knees, tears streaming, crowd thundering.

Now, with Cincinnati and the US Open looming, the question burns: can Osaka transform this spark into a deep, defining run?