Canadian teen tennis star, Victoria Mboko, to make U.S. Open debut Monday

In just 12 magical days in Montreal earlier this month, Victoria Mboko went from a promising young player on the rise to a champion at the WTA 1000 level — in her home country, no less.

The 18-year-old who went from No. 85 to No. 23 is a rising star who has got everyone's attention inside the sport and around the country. And so on Monday, in her first match since that Aug. 7 National Bank Open final, Mboko will make her U.S. Open debut as the 22nd seed.

"I feel like not much has really changed, though," Mboko said during a press conference. "I feel like I'm playing the same way.

"I think tennis is also very mental, so however you're feeling with yourself and how confident you feel with your game, you're able to produce good tennis, as well."

The Toronto teen, who grew up in Burlington, Ont., will play her first-round match against Barbora Krejcikova in Louis Armstrong Stadium, the second-biggest court on the site after Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I remember being here as a junior in 2022, and juniors only had access to the indoor training centre," Mboko said. "So to be able to see the grounds a little bit, getting to practice on Louis Armstrong, seeing the player lounge and the locker rooms, it's a really cool experience — especially as this is one of my favourite Grand Slams.

In fact, though, a lot has changed since those 12 days.

Mboko's agent, Marijn Bal of WME Sports, said he received about 120 interview requests from around the world in the wake of Mboko's win over Naomi Osaka in Montreal on Aug. 7. He had to become Dr. No — at least for now.

They fulfilled a few requests the next day, and then Mboko had a media day in Toronto the Monday following the tournament where she appeared on a couple of TV shows and some sports outlets.

One day only, though. Except for throwing out the first pitch at a Toronto Blue Jays game that Friday, she returned to her family home to decompress, process and heal up the wrist injury she suffered in her semifinal win over Elena Rybakina in Montreal.

"The overarching theme is that, of course, we want to take advantage of the opportunities that we're given and yes, we've gotten a ton of commercial interest for her. But we're not going to rush anything," Bal said.

"We believe her potential is at the top of the game, so we're going to pick a few right opportunities that help tell her story, that help build her brand, but at the same time align with her values and the way she wants to approach life."

It's been the same since she arrived in New York — a few obligations with her current sponsorship partners, but mostly focusing on the job she's here to do.

"It was really cool to experience what I got to do. But then again, it's in the past," Mboko said. "So I'm able to look back at it and kind of smile a bit, but there are so many more things to come in the future that I really look forward to."

Mboko's luck of the draw was a big part of her story at the National Bank Open. To win in Montreal, she had to defeat four players with Grand Slam singles titles on their resumes: Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Rybakina and Osaka.

And for her U.S. Open debut, it will be another in two-time Grand Slam champion Krejcikova.

That injured wrist was even more heavily wrapped during practice sessions in New York this week than it was in Montreal for the final. But while she could have used an extra week of healing, it's reportedly good to go and the extra wrapping is mostly precautionary.

Certainly, she looked to be hitting the ball normally on the practice court.

Mboko also is training against top-level competition these days. Leading up to the tournament, she squared off against former U.S. Open champions Emma Raducanu and Coco Gauff.

Players like Raducanu — and 2019 champion and countrywoman Bianca Andreescu — offer much inspiration.

"I feel like they proved that you can do anything you put your mind to," Mboko said. "I think they were both the underdogs coming into the Grand Slam, so it just proves that the trophy is there for everyone, and that you can do anything you put your mind to."

Andreescu was 19 years old when she won the US Open. Raducanu was 19 when she won the 2021 edition of tournament out of the qualifying and Gauff was 19 when she won it in 2023.

So along comes another odd-numbered year.

And Mboko turns 19 on Tuesday.