Victoria Mboko has already made history in Montreal — and now she stands one win away from a fairytale ending.
The 18-year-old Canadian sensation will face four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the final of the 2025 National Bank Open, a WTA 1000 tournament packed with storylines. Mboko, a wildcard entry ranked outside the top 80 just a week ago, stunned the tennis world with a fearless run to the final, toppling three Grand Slam winners — Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina — en route.
Standing across the net will be Osaka, returning to a WTA 1000 final for the first time since 2022, in what many are calling the most anticipated women’s final of the season.
📍 Read more about Mboko’s rise in our in-depth feature: Victoria Mboko: The Next Big Thing in Women’s Tennis?
Road to the Final: Match by Match
Victoria Mboko has captivated the home crowd with a dream run as a wildcard, defeating three major champions in her path to the final — a feat never achieved by a Canadian woman at this event before.
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| R1 | Sofia Kenin | 7–5, 6–2 |
| R2 | Coco Gauff (1) | 6–1, 6–4 |
| QF | Jessica Bouzas Maneiro | 6–4, 6–2 |
| SF | Elena Rybakina (4) | 1–6, 7–5, 7–6(4) |
Naomi Osaka, meanwhile, has quietly built momentum throughout the tournament. Her clean baseline game and poise under pressure have brought her to her first WTA 1000 final in over three years.
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| R1 | Marie Bouzkova | 6–3, 6–4 |
| R2 | Petra Martić | 7–6(3), 6–1 |
| QF | Veronika Kudermetova | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| SF | Clara Tauson | 6–2, 7–6(7) |
Tactical Preview: Key Matchups on Court
This final promises to be a contrast of styles — and possibly generations. Naomi Osaka, known for her raw power and flat, aggressive ball-striking, will face a player in Victoria Mboko whose footwork, timing, and versatility have made her one of the breakout stories of the season.
Osaka’s ability to dominate with her first serve and take time away from her opponents remains a critical weapon. But she will need to keep her unforced error count in check — especially against a player like Mboko, who thrives in extended rallies and isn’t afraid to counterpunch with angles and depth.
Mboko, for her part, has shown increasing composure under pressure, as evidenced in her semifinal comeback vs. Rybakina. She’ll need to return well, neutralize Osaka’s serve early, and use the crowd to her advantage — especially if the match goes into a third set.
Mental strength may be the real battleground: Osaka has the experience of Grand Slam finals, but Mboko has shown she’s unfazed by the occasion. If she can bring the same intensity and shot tolerance she’s displayed all week, she might just turn this dream run into a title.
What’s at Stake: Beyond the Trophy
For Victoria Mboko, this match represents more than just a shot at her first WTA title — it’s the culmination of a breakout week on home soil, in front of a crowd that has embraced her as Canada’s next tennis icon. Should she win, she would become the first Canadian woman to win the Montreal title since Bianca Andreescu in 2019.
Victory would also catapult her ranking from outside the top 80 to a projected career-high near WTA No. 25, an incredible rise that would change her tournament access, sponsorship landscape, and trajectory for 2026.
For Naomi Osaka, this final is about renewal and relevance. After an extended absence and a rebuilding phase, a title here would mark her first WTA 1000 trophy since Miami 2022 — and send a clear message that she remains a force in the women’s game.
This clash also carries symbolic weight: youth vs. experience, a rising Black Canadian star vs. a globally established Japanese icon. It’s a moment of generational change — or continuity — that transcends the scoreboard.
Prediction & Final Thoughts
If form, momentum, and crowd support matter — Victoria Mboko has every reason to believe. But finals are different. Naomi Osaka knows that better than most: she’s 4–0 in Grand Slam finals and has won high-pressure matches across the globe.
Mboko’s athleticism, confidence, and tactical maturity have been her greatest weapons this week. If she starts well and rides the home-court energy, she could push Osaka deep — possibly even to the brink. But Osaka’s serve and big-match instincts might just give her the edge when it matters most.
Prediction: Osaka in three tight sets — but the crowd will make it feel like Mboko already won something bigger.
