In a thrilling finale at the National Bank Open, 18-year-old Canadian tennis sensation Victoria Mboko secured her first WTA title by defeating four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. The match, held on Thursday night, saw Mboko overcome a challenging start to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Mboko, who will rise from 85th to 25th in the world rankings, became only the third Canadian to win the Montreal event in the Open era, joining Faye Urban (1969) and Bianca Andreescu (2019). The young star dropped to her knees in celebration as Osaka's final shot found the net, prompting an eruption of cheers from the packed crowd at center court.

Reflecting on her victory, Mboko shared, "When I had that winning moment and seeing so many people standing up and cheering for me, it was kind of a surreal experience. I would have never thought something like this would have come so suddenly. It just proves that your dreams are closer than they seem."

The match was not without its challenges. Mboko played through a stiff and swollen wrist, which she described as "hard to move." Despite this, she managed to convert 8 of 9 break points and overcame 13 double-faults. Her journey to the final included victories over top-seeded Coco Gauff, Sofia Kenin, and Elena Rybakina.

Osaka, who has been working her way back into top form after a 15-month hiatus and the birth of her daughter in 2023, had her best performance in a WTA 1000 tournament since reaching the Miami final in 2022. However, she was unable to secure a win against the determined Mboko.

Mboko's triumph marks her as the third wild card to win a WTA 1000 title, following in the footsteps of Maria Sharapova and Bianca Andreescu. Her victory is a testament to her resilience and talent, signaling the arrival of a new star in the world of tennis.