As the curtains slowly rise on a new WTA Tour season, the tennis world is buzzing with anticipation. Every year, fresh faces step onto the big stage, hoping to turn promise into proof. In 2025, several young stars did just that - Coco Gauff continued her ascent (won the French Open), Mirra Andreeva showed remarkable maturity beyond her years (won 2 titles), and Iva Jovic announced herself as one to watch (won the Guadalajara Open). But amid all that youthful brilliance, one name has begun to echo louder than most. Victoria Mboko.

The 19-year-old Canadian started her season ranked 333rd in the world, but guess what? Thanks to her incredible consistency (W-L record: 60-14) and two title triumphs (Canadian Open and Hong Kong Open), she has now jumped up to 18th in that list. Following those two performances, almost overnight, Mboko went from an emerging talent to a headline act.

Few voices in tennis carry as much weight when it comes to spotting greatness as Patrick Mouratoglou. The Frenchman, who famously guided Serena Williams through some of the most dominant years of her career, recently turned the spotlight on Victoria Mboko while reflecting on the season gone by. While sharing his thoughts about Mboko, he said, “She’s Canadian; she’s played an incredible season. She was out of the top 100. She killed it this year. She won a Masters 1000. She had some downs after that, because suddenly the pressure became too high.”

Mouratoglou saved his boldest words for last. He added, “She arrived like a bomb in the tennis world and the WTA world. The quality of her game, her physical assets, her personality. I mean, she has the whole package, and she’s definitely the future of tennis. I’m super happy to see her coming up so fast. I can feel that she can do something big for tennis, potentially an icon.” 

As the new season approaches, Victoria Mboko stands at a fascinating crossroads - no longer a surprise package. If 2025 was her arrival, the next chapter might just define an era. And if Mouratoglou’s instincts are right, the tennis world is only at the beginning of her story. But how do others look at her incredible journey?

Victoria Mboko’s coach praises her rapid rise and also sets a new target for her

Victoria Mboko didn’t just crash into the 2025 WTA season - she announced herself. Owing to her incredible performance ‌this season, she also became the WTA newcomer of the year. Recently, while announcing her participation at the 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, she said, “Breaking into the top 20 has been an incredible journey, and I’m really excited to be making my debut in Abu Dhabi.”

Speaking about this teenage sensation, we have previously seen both Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys agree that Mboko is the most improved player. Coming to predictions, another tennis bigwig, Nick Monroe, claimed Mboko and Alexandra Eala have all the ingredients to break into the top 10 next year.

For Victoria Mboko, it has always been one step at a time. In a previous interview with Gwen Madiba, she said, “Winning a Grand Slam or becoming world number one would always be a huge blessing. I know there’s a process to reaching those goals, and sometimes you never know how early opportunities might come. Every day, I focus on improving, both on and off the court. Ultimately, I think it’s important to dream big.” But what does her coach, Nathalie Tauziat, have to say about her incredible performances and key goals from here onwards?

She started the conversation with ClayTenis, speaking about where Mboko exactly needs to bring a bit of improvement (serve, forehand, backhand). According to her, the Canadian star also needs to get better physically.

Talking about her success in Canada and their upcoming targets, the coach added, “If someone had told me she was going to win a big tournament like this at the beginning of the year, I would’ve probably said: ‘Listen, we have to go step by step.’ But she did this amazing thing, and now we need to set even bigger objectives, for sure. She is top 20 in the world, but she needs to improve her game further.”

Seeing her incredible rise, several in the tennis world compare Victoria Mboko with America’s Coco Gauff. The 21-year-old American star has already won two Grand Slam titles. Can Mboko find one in 2026?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallyTennis. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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