Victoria Mboko didn’t even have a picture on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) website before the Canadian Open in Montreal. Now, the 18-year-old has defeated four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka in the first WTA Tour final of her career.

She faced Naomi Osaka for the chance to win a first WTA title, the four-time grand slam champion having booked her place in a WTA final for the first time since Miami in 2022. Osaka, the first Japanese player to reach the final at the Canadian Open and had something to prove after a lean period in her own career.

Naomi Osaka faced criticism after a swift speech at the Canadian Open final in Montreal, where she lost to Victoria Mboko. Tennis legend Andy Roddick defended Osaka, highlighting the pressure players face to speak immediately after losses.