Latest news with #Mboko
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Victoria Mboko's magical French Open run ends — but the Canadian breakout star is just getting started
It was three years ago and Victoria Mboko was doing her version of 'Emily in Paris.'' Inhaling the city, the bright lights, the fashion chic, the food, and up the Eiffel Tower of course. Just a 15-year-old girl with a blog. But already a rather special 15-year-old, a blossoming junior tennis player savouring her first bite of the French Open. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Upon her return to Canada, she wrote: 'I am just back from Paris where I played Roland-Garros for the first time and it was a tournament I loved so much. The crowd was loud with plenty of people watching the junior matches, and it was great to hear those cheers.'' She loves Roland-Garros a whole lot more now. And Paris has loved her right back this week as the first breakout star at the Grand Slam. China's Zheng Qinwen hits a forehand return against Canada's Victoria Mboko during their third round match at the French Open. ALAIN JOCARD AFP via Getty Images That her magical ride came to an end on Friday morning on the red clay of Court Simonne-Mathieu is hardly a setback, more a projection of wonderful things surely to come. In Zheng Qinwen, Mboko was facing the reigning Olympic gold medallist, world No. 7 and eighth seed. Lost in straight sets — 6-3, 6-4 — but her flawless run to the third round (hadn't dropped a set) means she'll rise in the WTA rankings to well within the top 100 after starting the year at No. 333. And that means the 18-year-old won't have to go through qualifying for Wimbledon in late June. Afterward, Mboko cited fitness and stamina as key areas for improvement. Zheng was the third top-15 player to whom she'd lost in the last 10 weeks. 'I found that (Zheng) was dictating a lot. Especially I think she had a really great forehand that was able to open up the court a lot easier than I did. She has a really great serve, she has a lot of good accuracy, she was hitting a lot of lines.'' And she definitely opened Zheng's eyes: 'For sure she will be one of the best players in the future. I'm 100 per cent sure because she's already got the strength, the game. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'She's really young. She has big potential. She hits the ball really hard and then she had a great serve. She had huge power. She moves on the court really well.'' After bulldozing through three qualifying matches, then knocking out 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Lulu Sun in her main draw Grand Slam debut and disposing of No. 59 Eva Lys, both the weather and the opposition got hotter. Zheng is only 22 herself and has also zoomed up the women's tennis hierarchy in the past few years. It was that experience with the big girls that gave Zheng, from China, the edge in key moments where she elevated her play, most especially in four out of four break points converted. Mboko had her chances, too, but went only 2-for-8. A fusillade of booming forehands garnered the opening game to love for Zheng, while Mboko held her serve in the second game and had her first peek at a break in the next game. Zheng pulled it back to deuce with a terrific return from the top of the bounce that cut off the angle and held for a 2-1 lead. Canada's Victoria Mboko had the crowd on her side throughout the French Open. ALAIN JOCARD AFP via Getty Images Mboko came under immediate pressure on her next serve game as Zheng rushed the Canadian on her shots, not allowing her much time to pick up the ball or even think strategy. The break put Zheng up 3-1, but Mboko broke right back. A miffed volley at the net and tentative approach shot fired back saw the Canadian broken again at 2-4, then Zheng backed up the break at 2-5. Zheng double-faulted on her next service as errors began to creep in, but held. Zheng served out the set with an ace. Zheng uncorked her best game to open the second set, breaking to love on a sequence of masterful drop shots. Mboko, showing off her signature athleticism and pace, struck to break back and level the set at 1-1. Zheng was clearly targeting Mboko's more vulnerable forehand, breaking at 3-2. Mboko held to love at 4-3 and had Zheng scrambling all over the court in the eighth game, ahead 0-40 yet was unable to seize the break. Serving for the match, Zheng struck a couple of impressive backhands, but again Mboko battled to break point before a pair of unreturnable serves squelched any hope of extending the match, with Zheng prevailing in an hour and 26 minutes, booking a place in the Sweet Sixteen for the second time at Roland-Garros. As a happy Zheng prepared for her on-court interview, Mboko gave a farewell wave and thumbs-up to a crowd that had been very much on her side throughout. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Tennis Canadian teen Victoria Mboko is making a name for herself at the French Open. The signs started when she was a toddler Mboko has yet to drop a set heading into a third round match against Zheng Qinwen at the French Open. Those who watched her grow up aren't surprised. Tennis Canadian teen Victoria Mboko is making a name for herself at the French Open. The signs started when she was a toddler Mboko has yet to drop a set heading into a third round match against Zheng Qinwen at the French Open. Those who watched her grow up aren't surprised. It may have been the coda for Mboko's French Open, but it was also a big hello Grand Slam beginning for a young woman born in Charlotte, N.C., to Congolese parents and raised in the GTA as the youngest of four children in a tennis-mad family. The prodigy flash was always there — older sister (by 11 years) Gracia, who attended the University of Denver on a scholarship, tells the story of how a then-nine-year-old Victoria stepped into an open tournament spot at their Burlington home club, lost 6-0, 6-0 to Gracia and was absolutely furious about it. In her first season on tour, Serena Williams -idolizing Mboko has recorded 42 victories at all levels, while Friday was just her sixth loss. This year, she extended top-10 players Coco Gauff and Paula Badosa to three sets in Rome and Miami, respectively. Mboko was red-circled by IMG, the powerful sports talent agency, when she was just 12. She has an endorsement contract with Wilson, which designed her Golden Yellow tennis frock for Roland-Garros. And she still wears braces.
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
'On song' Zheng dances into French Open last 16
The Chinese star qualified for the French Open last 16 for the second time with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Canadian teenager Mboko, who was appearing at her first Grand Slam. Zheng, 22, has now won nine successive matches at Roland Garros after her Olympic triumph on the same courts last August. "I had a great performance today," said Zheng, who goes on to face Russian 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova for a spot in the quarter-finals. Zheng's only other appearance in the fourth round of the French Open came on her 2022 debut, when she led eventual champion Iga Swiatek by a set before severe stomach cramps ruined her hopes of a shock win. "It seems like yesterday for me," recalled Zheng. "I remember I was feeling really good in that Roland Garros but I lost the match because I got girl problems and couldn't perform at 100 percent." Zheng dumped out 2021 runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the opening round and has not missed a beat so far in Paris, where she is yet to drop a set. "I have a lot of interests off the tennis court, maybe too much! I love to sing a a song, I love to dance and I love to go shopping," said Zheng. "I know a lot of different songs." But last year's Australian Open runner-up admits she sticks to a basic routine when competing. "If you talk about in the tournament, I don't have too much interest to come to do my nails, to do my hair, because I'm so into the tournament mood," said Zheng. "I just want to make sure today the practice was going well. I eat healthy my food, get a good rest, and tomorrow I fight again. That's what I care (about) during the tournament." Zheng adjusted well to the much warmer conditions on Friday, as temperatures neared 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), following scattered showers earlier in the tournament. "I'm from Wuhan so I handle the hot weather quite well. I actually like these conditions," said Zheng, pointing out it was even hotter during the Paris Olympics. However, a supporter fell ill and required medical attention, prompting a stoppage in play late in the first set. Zheng though said she was reassured about the fan's wellbeing when she enquired after the match.
Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Toronto teen Victoria Mboko falls to Olympic champ Zheng Qinwen at French Open
It was a major step forward for Mboko in her Grand Slam main-draw debut. Published May 30, 2025 • Last updated 0 minutes ago • 1 minute read Canada's Victoria Mboko serves against New Zealand's Lulu Sun during their first round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. Photo by Christophe Ena / AP PARIS — Canadian teen Victoria Mboko's breakthrough Grand Slam run came to an end Friday at the French Open. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The 18-year-old from Toronto was beaten 6-3, 6-4 by No. 8 seed Zheng Qinwen of China in third-round action at Roland Garros. Mboko, ranked No. 333 at the start of the year, had surged into the spotlight with three straight wins in qualifying and two more in the main draw — all in straight sets — before running into Zheng, an Australian Open finalist who won Olympic gold in singles last summer on these same Paris clay courts. Zheng won 70 per cent of her first-serve points and saved six of eight break points. Mboko was broken four times and won only 38 per cent of her second-serve points. Still, it was a major step forward for Mboko in her Grand Slam main-draw debut. She'll officially enter the WTA's top 100 when the tournament wraps. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Later Friday, Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., and Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva fell 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 to Slovakia's Tereza Mihalikova and Great Britain's Olivia Nicholls. Fernandez and Putintseva converted six of nine break chances but managed to save just one of six against them in the second-round women's doubles match. Montreal's Gabriel Diallo and Great Britain's Jacob Fearnley lost in second-round men's doubles action. The pair fell 6-2, 6-3 to second-seeded Henry Patten of Great Britain and Harri Heliovaara of Finland. Patten and Heliovaara committed just six unforced errors to Diallo and Fearnley's 16, converted four of six break-point chances and saved both of their opponents'. Crime World Olympics Sunshine Girls Toronto Raptors
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Canadian teen Victoria Mboko falls to Olympic champ Zheng Qinwen at French Open
PARIS - Canadian teen Victoria Mboko's breakthrough Grand Slam run came to an end Friday at the French Open. The 18-year-old from Toronto was beaten 6-3, 6-4 by No. 8 seed Zheng Qinwen of China in third-round action at Roland Garros. Mboko, ranked No. 333 at the start of the year, had surged into the spotlight with three straight wins in qualifying and two more in the main draw — all in straight sets — before running into Zheng, an Australian Open finalist who won Olympic gold in singles last summer on these same Paris clay courts. Zheng won 70 per cent of her first-serve points and saved six of eight break points. Mboko was broken four times and won only 38 per cent of her second-serve points. Still, it was a major step forward for Mboko in her Grand Slam main-draw debut. She'll officially enter the WTA's top 100 when the tournament wraps. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadian teen Victoria Mboko falls to Olympic champ Zheng Qinwen at French Open
PARIS – Canadian teen Victoria Mboko's breakthrough Grand Slam run came to an end Friday at the French Open. The 18-year-old from Toronto was beaten 6-3, 6-4 by No. 8 seed Zheng Qinwen of China in third-round action at Roland Garros. Mboko, ranked No. 333 at the start of the year, had surged into the spotlight with three straight wins in qualifying and two more in the main draw — all in straight sets — before running into Zheng, an Australian Open finalist who won Olympic gold in singles last summer on these same Paris clay courts. Zheng won 70 per cent of her first-serve points and saved six of eight break points. Mboko was broken four times and won only 38 per cent of her second-serve points. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Still, it was a major step forward for Mboko in her Grand Slam main-draw debut. She'll officially enter the WTA's top 100 when the tournament wraps. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
