MONTREAL — Victoria Mboko has made history by winning the National Bank Open, defeating four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a thrilling final on Thursday night. The 18-year-old Canadian triumphed with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, marking her first title on the WTA Tour.

Mboko's victory is significant as she becomes the first Canadian woman to win this prestigious WTA 1000 event on home soil since Bianca Andreescu in 2019. The last Canadian to achieve this feat before Andreescu was Faye Urban in 1968.

The match showcased Mboko's resilience, especially as she battled through a wrist injury sustained earlier in the tournament. In a dramatic final game, she rallied from 40-15 down against Osaka's serve. Mboko made a remarkable play at the net, returning a barely touched ball from Osaka just before it bounced a second time. The crowd erupted as she followed up with a powerful forehand winner, setting up match point. When Osaka hit a shot long, Mboko dropped to her knees in disbelief as the crowd celebrated her victory.

Earlier in the tournament, Mboko had a stunning semifinal performance, overcoming a set deficit and saving a match point to defeat former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a nail-biting match that ended 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4).

Born in Charlotte to Congolese parents and raised in Toronto, Mboko's rise in the rankings has been meteoric. She began the year ranked outside the top 300 and is now set to climb to 25th in the women's singles world rankings. This victory also makes her the third wild card to win a WTA 1000 title, following Maria Sharapova in 2011 and Andreescu in 2019.

Osaka, who has faced challenges in her career, including a 15-month hiatus and the birth of her daughter in July 2023, showed signs of her former self during the tournament. However, she struggled in the final, particularly after winning the first set. The crowd at IGA Stadium was electric, with fans cheering loudly, prompting the umpire to request quiet during points.

After the match, Mboko expressed her gratitude to her family and supporters, stating, "I wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for them. And lastly, I want to thank every one of you who came to support me throughout this whole week. You guys were incredible and I couldn’t be more grateful."

With this victory, Mboko has solidified her status as a rising star in tennis, and her journey will be closely followed as she prepares for the upcoming U.S. Open.