Victoria Mboko Makes History at French Open, Eyes Wimbledon Spot
The Independent reports that teenager Victoria Mboko has made a remarkable run at the French Open, reaching the third round where she will face Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng. The 18-year-old Canadian is making her Grand Slam main draw debut in Paris and has yet to drop a set after advancing through Roland Garros qualifying.
According to The Independent, Mboko defeated Germany’s Eva Lys 6-4 6-4 on Wednesday and is likely to qualify automatically for Wimbledon after starting the year ranked at No. 333 in the world. Her impressive performance has seen her rise through the rankings, and she is set to become just the third teenager in the world’s top 100, alongside the sixth seed Mirra Andreeva and Australia’s Maya Joint.
Mboko’s remarkable season has seen her record 42 victories across all levels, losing just five matches – two of which were to top-10 players Coco Gauff and Paula Badosa. As quoted by The Independent, Mboko said that her idols include Serena Williams and Canada’s 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu. "I feel like when I was a lot younger watching tennis a lot on TV, I always saw Serena kind of winning everything. It was easy for me to look up to her as a role model. She was such an icon at the time," Mboko said.
The teenager also praised Andreescu, who became the first Canadian to win the US Open in 2019. "I really loved the way she used to play. When I was younger, I tried to hit like her and tried to hit the ball hard. She’s such an inspiration for so many girls out there. Not only just me. Also, I looked up a little bit to Bianca Andreescu when she won the US Open in 2019. She was the first Canadian to do so, it was really a big deal for us. It kind of changed a little bit the way things worked there," Mboko added, as reported by The Independent.
Mboko’s parents emigrated from the Democratic Republic of Congo due to political conflict before she was born. Her rapid rise through the rankings has been impressive, and she will look to continue her form against Zheng, who has won eight matches in a row at Roland Garros after winning the gold medal at last summer’s Olympics.
Zheng defeated Colombia’s Emiliana Arango 6-2 6-3 to set up a meeting with the in-form Mboko. As The Independent notes, Mboko’s achievement is a testament to her hard work and dedication to the sport. With her sights set on Wimbledon, Mboko will look to build on her impressive performance at the French Open and make a lasting impact on the tennis world.
The Independent’s reporting on Mboko’s remarkable run at the French Open highlights the teenager’s impressive achievements and her potential to become a major force in the tennis world. As The Independent continues to provide in-depth coverage of the tournament, fans can expect to see more exciting updates on Mboko’s journey and the latest developments from the world of tennis.
