Unseeded player Victoria Mboko knocks out top seed Coco Gauff, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open.
In a stunning turn of events at the Toronto Masters 1000, 20-year-old Alex Michelsen has reached his first quarterfinal in a Masters 1000 event in the men's tournament. The young player defeated fellow American Learner Tien in straight sets, with the score being 6-3 6-3.
Meanwhile, in the women's tournament, Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko made history by winning the biggest title of her career at the Canadian Open in Montreal. The 18-year-old Mboko, who was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, to parents who emigrated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, defeated top seed Coco Gauff 6-1 6-4.
Gauff never found her rhythm on serve and failed to convert any of her five break point opportunities. Mboko dropped her racket and covered her face in disbelief after sealing the victory. "This is incredible," Mboko said after her win. "I can't believe I just did that."
Mboko's win sets up a quarterfinal match against 11th seed Karen Khachanov of Russia, who upset eighth seed Casper Ruud in their fourth round match with scores of 6-4 7-5. Khachanov has twice reached the semifinals of the tournament.
In other notable matches, ninth seed Elena Rybakina edged Dayana Yastremska in their fourth-round battle. Top seed Alexander Zverev is set to play Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in the night session.
Mboko's rise in the tennis world has been meteoric. She began playing tennis at around age 3 or 4 and has quickly climbed the WTA rankings. After beating Gauff at the Canadian Open, Mboko was ranked a career-high No. 85 in the world in singles as of late July 2025.
Mboko's achievements include reaching the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open, where she will face Khachanov. In 2025 alone, she won five ITF titles and has accumulated eight ITF titles in total. She had also made impactful performances at Grand Slam tournaments earlier, such as reaching the third round of the 2025 French Open—defeating world Nos. 45 and 59—and winning a round at Wimbledon by upsetting world No. 29 Magdalena Fręch.
Mboko’s junior success, including making semifinals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open junior divisions in 2022, and finals appearances in doubles at junior Grand Slams earlier in her career, have undoubtedly contributed to her rapid rise in the tennis world. She is regarded as one of Canada’s promising young stars in tennis.
The Toronto Masters 1000 is shaping up to be an exciting tournament, with several young players making a splash. Keep an eye on Mboko and Michelsen as they continue to make their mark on the tennis world.
In the context of Mboko's rapid rise in the tennis world, it's worth noting that she aspires to excel in sports, particularly tennis. Her successes and achievements in tennis tournaments, such as the Canadian Open and the Toronto Masters 1000, indicate her potential to become a key player in the future of professional tennis.
