When Victoria Mboko won the WTA 1000 in Canada a year ago, her career changed. The Canadian broke into the tennis elite, gained popularity and secured major sponsorship deals. But of those days she had always dreamed of, the memories are hazy.
“When I was close to the finish line, I told myself to just go for it. But it was all such a blur — I really don’t remember a lot from that week. I just remember the emotions and what I was feeling,” Mboko told CLAY in an interview.
Mboko began 2025 ranked No. 333 in the world and finished the season inside the top 20. Her meteoric rise earned her the WTA Newcomer of the Year award. In 2026, the Canadian signed with Rolex, a brand that sponsors all four Grand Slams and has been associated with some of the biggest names in tennis for years.
Just days away from turning 20, the Canadian continues to recover from a left knee injury. In June, she was forced to retire from the Queen’s tournament, where, in addition to the singles draw, she was competing alongside Serena Williams in doubles.
The injury ruled her out of Wimbledon, prevented her from defending her title in Canada and also forced her to withdraw from the US Open. Mboko, however, chooses to focus on the positive: “I’m more motivated than ever; it’s an opportunity for me to learn so much more about myself.”
Interview with Victoria Mboko
— What’s your earliest memory of the sport? Was there a moment when you decided that you wanted to become a professional tennis player?
— My earliest memories of the sport are of watching my three older siblings playing at the old National Tennis Centre in Toronto, the site where the National Bank Open is now held. All young Canadians look up to this tournament, so I was just excited to be given a wild card. It’s Canada’s biggest tournament and, honestly, when I was younger, I used to think it was a Grand Slam — that’s how big it was for me. I would never have imagined that the little girl watching the pros from the stands would one day be playing in this tournament. My run at the tournament was just surreal. I kept winning matches and surprising myself as each round went on. When I was close to the finish line, I told myself to just go for it. But it was all such a blur — I really don’t remember a lot from that week. I just remember the emotions and what I was feeling.
— In 2025, you were awarded the WTA Newcomer of the Year award. You broke into the WTA top 20, made your debut for Canada at the Billie Jean King Cup and won your home tournament at the Canadian Open. How do you reflect on your first season on tour?
— When I look back on my debut season, it honestly feels like such a blur. Everything went by so fast — I really did not expect that from myself. I’m a person that likes to look ahead and every time I do something nice, I push myself to do something better — I just want to keep improving. It’s good to reflect on a great season but going into this year, I was more focused on what I wanted to achieve next and how I can improve. I’m very competitive with myself, and I set more and more goals. I’m super grateful to have achieved so much in my first year, but I think that means the sky’s the limit.
— What was it like to play in front of the Canadian crowd?
— Playing in front of my home crowd was an unbelievable experience and it’s something I hopefully will do many more times throughout my career. I had never played in front of so many spectators before, and it felt like every single person in the crowd was cheering for me. It was so loud — I felt like I was playing in a basketball arena. I love playing in front of big crowds like that. It’s incredible to feel the energy — it gets me fired up.
— How has having the support of Rolex from such a young age given you confidence when you step out onto court?
— I never expected I would have Rolex’s support at this point in my career — to be representing Rolex as a teenager is just surreal. Every time I look down at my watch, I feel very proud and even though I am still at the start of my journey, everyone has welcomed me and I really feel like I belong in the family. It’s amazing to look at past generations connected to the brand and then to be part of the new generation coming up. It’s super cool to represent and continue that legacy.
— You are currently going through a career setback following an unfortunate injury in June. How do you approach the more challenging moments like these?
— Dealing with the injury was very tough in the beginning — of course, no one likes to be injured, no one likes to have accidents. It’s very unfortunate but I think you can only control the controllables. I feel like I am staying very positive, and I am still super motivated — if anything, I’m more motivated than ever. So not only is this a setback, but it’s an opportunity for me to learn so much more about myself. When I get back on the court, I could be a whole different person. When I return from injury, I want to be a better version of myself.
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