Naomi Osaka ’s return to a WTA final for the first time in three years was meant to be a sign of progress. Instead, the Japanese star’s run at the Canadian Open ended in a wave of both disappointment on court and controversy off it.

Osaka, 27, has been working to rebuild her form and confidence after a stretch of uneven results marked by tight three-set defeats and missed opportunities. In Montreal, she looked closer to her best, stringing together a series of strong performances to reach her first tour-level championship match since 2022.

Standing in her way was 18-year-old Canadian breakout Victoria Mboko, playing in her debut season on tour. Mboko had electrified home fans all week, knocking out higher-ranked opponents and showing poise well beyond her years.

The final started wel

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