‘It pays off’: Canada’s Victoria Mboko reflects on NBO victory, preparing for U.S. Open

Victoria Mboko talks to CTV’s Adrian Ghobrial about how family and past experiences shaped her success at the National Bank Open.

National Bank Open champion Victoria Mboko sat down with CTV National News correspondent Adrian Ghobrial to discuss her recent win, detailing what it meant to her to have played and beaten players she watched when she was younger.

The 18-year-old champion also discussed her family’s past and how it affects her game today.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Ghobrial: So National Bank Canadian champion. How does that sound?

Mboko: When you say it like that, I mean, it feels kind of crazy. It’s been an incredible two weeks in Montreal. To even capture the title and to be reflecting back at it, it’s honestly crazy. I couldn’t have ever imagined that I’d be named the champion. So I’m really happy.

Ghobrial: You’ve had a few nights of sleep, a little bit of sleep at home in Burlington. Where are you today on the emotional scale?

Mboko: I’d say it’s hitting me a little bit harder now than it was right after the match. I’d say I was really tired, because I’d been playing night matches every day. I haven’t really been getting a lot of sleep, but it’s been incredible, and now it’s kind of settling.

Ghobrial: As you reflect on the moment of this historic win, looking back just a few days ago, you collapsed on centre court, on your knees following that win, what was that moment like for you?

Mboko: Oh man, I would have never really thought I’d be in that kind of situation. But regarding what I went through the whole tournament, and regarding the past two weeks ... in that same moment, I just remember playing it in my head, and it was amazing.

There were so many people in the stands. I don’t think there was one empty seat. It’s really hard to say, but it was just incredible.

Ghobrial: You talked a little bit post-match about a young Vicky never being able to imagine the day. When you reflect back and you see what you’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time, what does that mean to you?

Mboko: Well, I mean, if I would have told my younger self that I would have done something like that, I would have never thought of it, you know? I used to go to this tournament growing up, used to watch so many great players playing as well. To even be playing some of the players I used to watch growing up, it’s a really surreal experience.

It kind of brings more hope and more promise that you can do anything that you believe, that you set yourself to. I think moving forward, I have that same mentality.

Ghobrial: On the day of the match, of the finals, not your regular day, take us through that day a little bit.

Mboko: So to backtrack a little bit, I played the semifinals, and I unfortunately had a not-so-great fall right on my wrist, and it was quite painful in the moment.

I called for the physio timeout to check it, and thankfully, I finished a match on a good note, but I was in quite a bit of pain, and I went to sleep that same day. I was thinking it wasn’t going to be too bad.

But I woke up the morning of the finals with a really swollen wrist, and it was really puffy, really painful. It hurt to even brush my teeth, brush my hair, doing normal acts, normal things around the hotel room was very difficult. I was honestly contemplating if I could even play the final.

We actually rushed to the hospital and we did an MRI and X-ray. We wanted to make sure nothing was really too serious in the wrist, that nothing was broken, nothing was torn. When we got the green light to go, I kind of wanted to see the physio. They did the best they could, to make sure I was ready for the match to practice. I was on some antiinflammatoires and taped my wrist pretty tight, and I went on court.

Ghobrial: How did you mentally battle through the match with your wrist? Hours earlier, you could barely brush your teeth. Now you’re at centre court in the finals of your country’s major tennis championship.

Mboko: Just like how you describe it, I was nervous for that, because it’s the final and so many people are watching. A full, packed stadium and playing against Naomi Osaka, it’s obviously a very nerve-wracking experience.

When I went on the court, all the pain I was feeling disappeared. Of course, in the beginning of the match when I started to play against her, it was really difficult to play with the wrist, and I was thinking about it a lot.

But as I got in the match, I kind of eased into it. I completely forgot about it at some point, and I just wanted to rely on my legs and everything else that could get me to where I needed to to be to pull out the win.

Ghobrial: Sounds like you have plenty of resilience. We look back at your story, at your family’s story, and it is one of sacrifice, one of resilience. Can you share a little bit about your family’s journey?

Mboko: My parents came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, way before I was born. They made so many sacrifices to come to a new country, learning new languages and adapting to the culture here

They helped rebuild a new life for me and my siblings, giving us the opportunity to play tennis was one of the greatest opportunities we could have had, and I’m super grateful for it. They worked overtime so we can have the opportunity to have more lessons and play in the group practices and play with good people.

There was just so many sacrifices along the way that played a big role into who I am today. I think growing up, I always was aware of it, and I think I made more of an effort to try to better myself, to make it worth it.

At the end of the day, it pays off.

Ghobrial: Your parents, your family flees war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. You’re born in the U.S. in 2006, and shortly thereafter, you move to Canada. Do you believe the resilience, the perseverance of your parents, of your family, has transferred into your game on the court?

Mboko: I think it definitely does. Maybe I haven’t really experienced what they’ve experienced along the way, but, knowing the kind of sacrifice that they make ... even where we grew up, it’s always been very present, in how they taught us to to earn everything and to work hard.

So I think that contributed a lot in my tennis, because I was always very focused in what I needed to do, and I was very passionate about the sport. Their story and how they went about things really translated into me as an athlete and me as a person.

Ghobrial: What does this championship mean for your family?

Mboko: Well, this championship means a lot. I remember, even when I was a kid, we used to go all the time to watch in Toronto. I just have so many great memories of this tournament, and I would have never thought I was gonna win.

Ghobrial: You looked up to Naomi as a young girl, you also looked up to Bianca Andreescu. There’s now young tennis players looking up to you.

Mboko: That’s crazy to think about, because I feel like not too long ago, I was still the one that looked up to to so many girls, I still do. If I’m able to inspire young girls in the sport, especially in Canada, just to inspire them and and just to let them know that you can do it too.

Ghobrial: You’re 18 years old, you just won your country’s top tennis tournament. How does Victoria Mboko stay grounded while continuing to rise?

Mboko: I think it’s really important to have a great support system around you. I surround myself with family and friends who are very close to me, especially people who’ve watched me grow up since I was really little. I feel I’m very close with all my siblings and my parents, so just being with them and having that sort of familiarity with them, when I go to tournaments.

Tournaments can be very hostile. Sometimes it’s a very stressful environment. But having people who know who you are, I think it’s very important at tournaments, and even in life as I advance my career.

Ghobrial: A bit of a rhetorical question, I think I might know the answer this one. But what’s next? What are the goals that you have set in front of you?

Mboko: Currently I’m preparing for the U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the year. It’s my first time playing U.S. Open, as well. So I’m really excited that I’m going to be even seeded. That’s crazy to think about. The U.S. Open was always a tournament that I really looked up to when I was really young. It was my favourite Grand Slam.

I don’t really like to set so many goals for myself, because I feel like anything can happen, whether it’s in your favour or not in your favor. That’s just the beauty of sports. But my goal is just to to enjoy the process and to have as much fun as I can while doing it.

Tennis takes up most of my life anyway, so why not enjoy myself while doing it?