The 18-year-old Canadian, Victoria Mboko’s rise in 2025 has been nothing short of astonishing – a breakthrough that signals her as one of the most promising talents in Canadian tennis. Although she is currently ranked 85th in the world, her impressive performances in the last few months have now ensured her a spot inside the Top 70. She currently has a win-loss record of 46-9 this season, and her standout performance in 2025 was reaching the third round of the French Open. Although she lost that match to Qinwen Zheng in straight sets, Mboko did earn a few words of praise from the Chinese star.

After that match, Zheng said, “For sure, she will be one of the best players in the future.” However, for Victoria Mboko, it’s just a matter of time before she establishes her name as a ‘Giant-Slayer‘ in the Tour. But how has her tennis journey been, and who has been her strongest pillar of support? Well, all of her family members have played a major role in her rapid rise.

Who are Victoria Mboko’s parents?

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 26, 2006, Victoria Mboko is the youngest of the four siblings. Mboko’s dad, Cyprien, and mom, Godee, had emigrated from the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Although Cyprien admired tennis afar and believed it could be a good sport for his children to pursue, he never played professionally. He believes tennis would increase his children’s physical fitness. Talking about his love for tennis, he once revealed, “I have been watching tennis since I was very young. My friend and I, back home in the Congo, would watch Agassi, Courier, Graf, and all the other great players.” So, he was the one who introduced Victoria Mboko to the sport.

Her mother, Godee, meanwhile, pursued her education and earned an accounting degree in Montreal, and together Victoria Mboko’s parents nurtured a household where tennis became more than just a sport.

The Mboko family’s sacrifices and commitment to tennis led them to relocate to Burlington, Ontario, where Victoria Mboko trained at Ace Tennis Academy. In fact, not only Victoria, but all four of the Mboko children attended Ace Tennis.

Who are Victoria Mboko’s siblings?

Well, sports run in the blood of the Mboko family! Her sister, Gracia, earned a tennis scholarship at the University of Denver, while her brother Kevin played at Edinboro University. Victoria Mboko’s third sibling, David, also showed a lot of promise in the initial days of his career, but he had to step away due to eye issues. He will soon be graduating from the University of Toronto with a computer science degree. Victoria’s tennis journey was initiated very much by drawing inspiration from her siblings.

Talking about her younger sister, Gracia once said, “It almost seems like Vicky was born on a tennis court because our parents were always there when we were practising or playing, and Vicky would be with them. She would wander on court and my friends and I would show her how to hold a racquet, play with her, and teach her.” What does Victoria Mboko think about the role of her brothers and sisters in her development as a tennis player?

“My sister and brothers have been really important for me. I probably would not have played tennis if not for them. They played with me and coached me,” claims Victoria, who started playing tennis around the age of 3 or 4. Has she ever played against them, though? In a previous interview with WTA, Victoria Mboko revealed that she remembers watching them from the sidelines and not wanting to be left out. “I’ve actually never beaten any of them. I never like to lose a lot. I played my sister once in a tournament and I lost 0 and 0. I was absolutely devastated. They still hold that over me to this day!” she said.

What ethnicity are Victoria Mboko’s parents?

From their native land, Cyprien Mboko and Godee Kitadi’s journey took them first to Montreal, and from there they went to North Carolina before eventually moving to Toronto in 2006. They fled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to political unrest and also in search of safety and better opportunities. Cyprien and Godee’s story is one of resilience, hope, and dedication.

According to Lamarche’s (owner of Ace Tennis) statements, “I have so much respect for what Godee and Cyprien have done for their children. They are one of my most favorite families of all time. Godee is a go-getter, very protective of her children and involved in their development.“

Victoria Mboko’s relationship with her parents

According to Victoria Mboko, her tight-knit family has ensured her feet stay on the ground as she continues her ascent to tennis’ upper echelons. During the 2025 French Open, while sharing her thoughts on her family, she said, “They are all very so supportive of me, and they’re so positive every single day in all the matches I play.” 

Speaking about her father, she added, “My father, I feel like he’s made a lot of sacrifices for me, so I’m grateful that he’s here, as well. He’s retired now, but, you know, when I was training a lot, he was working night shifts so he could be at every single one of my practices, especially when I was a junior.” She also spoke about how strict he was with her tennis and how he helped her by bringing great coaches and providing her with adequate training facilities. According to Mboko, this success story wouldn’t have been written without him.

Talking about her tennis idols, Victoria Mboko has been heavily inspired by Serena Williams and Bianca Andreescu. However, her playing style has now been compared to Coco Gauff. Talking about this comparison after their first meeting (at the 2025 Italian Open), Gauff said, “She moves very well…As far as the movement, I think she’s up there with me on that… She’s playing some top-level tennis.” Even before their R16 clash at the Canadian Open, Gauff heaped praise on the youngster, saying she’s playing like one of the top players in the world right now. Victoria Mboko is quite “excited” to face Coco Gauff in her next match, but can she force an upset against the world number 2?