Canadian tennis star Victoria Mboko is “looking forward” to testing herself against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells after facing her for the first time earlier this year.
Sabalenka won 6-1, 7-6 against Mboko at the Australian Open, but the Canadian is excited for a fresh battle after easing past Amanda Anisimova in straight sets. “I’m excited. To play the No. 1 player in the world is always special,” Mboko said.
“I played her at the Australian Open, and it was a really great match. I know what to expect — she hits a really great ball. So I’m up for the challenge. It’s going to be a really fun match, and I’m looking forward to it.”
While Mboko’s position in the WTA top 10 is justified, she is still inexperienced, having made her Grand Slam debut only last year. Mboko has never even played at Indian Wells, but she’s also found comfort in not having pressure to perform.
Mboko is navigating a surreal run, but the lack of expectation is allowing her to play freely. “I mean, it’s crazy honestly — playing this tournament for the first time and being in the top 10. It’s a little bit weird for me,” Mboko told Tennis Channel.
“Of course, there’s some pressure that comes with it. But then again, I’ve never been here before.
“So I kind of played into that and told myself: ‘You know what? I’m playing here for the first time. I’ve never been here, so don’t expect anything from yourself. Just go out there, play your game and see what happens.'”
That being said, Mboko’s continued success is making her hungrier to chase major accomplishments. “Each tournament it gets a bit higher, I could say. The more milestones I achieve, I kind of want to go for more,” she added.
“But then again, I’m a person who doesn’t really set goals for myself because I like to surprise myself as we go. Whether it’s good results or bad results — it happens to everyone. Honestly, as long as the trajectory is going up, whether it’s a good week or a bad week, that’s all that matters to me.”