Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka are set to clash in the 2025 Canadian Open final, in what will be a mouth-watering matchup.
On paper, this is just a game between two unseeded players. But in reality, it’s a battle between an 18-year-old rising star and a four-time Grand Slam champion.
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History awaits either Osaka or MbokoCredit: GETTY
Unsurprisingly, the two have never met, which makes this clash even more exciting.
For Mboko, this final will be special for multiple reasons.
First, because it’s her first-ever tour-level final and it’s in front of her home crowd in Canada.
And secondly, because she is taking on a player she once described as her idol.
“It’s really cute,” Osaka said in a press conference, when asked about Mboko looking up to her.
“I’m really honored. I always said that I would love to play someone that looked up to me in a way, so it’s happening way sooner than I thought it would.”
The Japanese star, who is back in the top 50 and is searching for her first WTA trophy this season, then added what she’ll need in Friday’s match against the teenage star.
“I guess I have to have a really good attitude tomorrow,” Osaka said.
Meanwhile, Mboko didn’t shy away from describing how she thinks her first WTA final will be.
“Tres difficile,” Mboko said in her on-court interview in French of the final step.
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Mboko was full of emotion after securing her place in the finalCredit: GETTY
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Naomi Osaka spoke about Mboko idolizing herCredit: GETTY
And immediately added in English, “Anything can happen.”
Mboko has nothing to fear from Osaka.
The 2025 season has been all about winning for Mboko.
She enjoyed brilliant success earlier this year at ITF events and, having taken that form into the French Open, Wimbledon, and now Montreal, it leaves her with a 52-9 record this year.
In her semi-final clash against Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, Mboko dug deep to avoid elimination.
Despite committing 11 double faults and getting blasted in the first set, she fought back to claim the second and held her nerve in a third-set tie break.
“She served really well in these important moments,” Rybakina said afterwards.
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After losing her first four matches against Top 20 opponents, Mboko’s now beaten two of them — Coco Gauff and Rybakina.
Osaka has all to play for
Since returning from childbirth nearly two seasons ago, Osaka has struggled to rediscover the on-court form that made her a four-time Grand Slam winner.
With a modest record of 37-28, Osaka was on the cusp of just drifting on the WTA tour and making no real impact.
However, this tournament has truly shown the very best of Osaka, with her level so far reminiscent of her Grand Slam-winning form.
With six wins in a row, she’s riding her biggest wave of form since she achieved the same first en route to the 2022 Miami Open final.
We’re a long way away from those tears at the French Open final by Osaka.
And with her serving ability back in top shape, winning 31 of 41 first-serve points in her semi-final clash and, more importantly, 20 of 37 second serves, she’s got the tools to crush Mboko’s dreams.
If Osaka wins, she’ll become just the second player in WTA history to have won a Masters level title after childbirth, with Victoria Azarenka the only other.
And if Mboko wins, several records will come tumbling down, but the most precious one will be the fact that she will become the youngest ever Canadian Open winner in WTA history.
AloJapan.com