Naomi Osaka was distraught after losing the Canadian Open final.
The 27-year-old experienced a return to form in Montreal, where she reached her first WTA 1000 final since the 2022 Miami Open.
She dropped just one set on the way to the final and looked to be the slight favourite against the dangerous yet young and inexperienced Victoria Mboko.
Naomi Osaka made an emphatic start to the match, much like Elena Rybakina did in the semifinal, but it was Mboko who became Canadian Open champion.
Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty ImagesRennae Stubbs says it was ‘sad’ that Naomi Osaka did not congratulate Victoria Mboko after the Canadian Open final
Mboko started the Canadian Open final slowly as she produced 22 unforced errors in the opening set which Osaka won in 38 minutes. But the 18-year-old stormed back in set two and opened up a 5-2 lead, before taking it 6-4.
After splitting the first two games of the deciding set, Mboko won the next five games to seal a monumental victory in front of her home fans.
Mboko beamed with pride after beating four Grand Slam champions on the way to the Canadian Open title. But other than her victory, there has been another talking point from the final.
Osaka gave a brief speech in the trophy presentation and failed to congratulate Mboko on the biggest win of her career. Osaka has received plenty of criticism as a result, including from Rennae Stubbs.
The Australian went on X to congratulate Mboko and also shared her thoughts on Osaka’s actions. “Congrats to Vicky who handled the pressure on her young shoulders so unbelievably well,” Stubbs wrote.
“Was it tough for her opponents all week, sure, but U know you’re going to play people from their own countries in those countries, that’s sports! & she’s 18 & Canadian so what did you expect!??
“But the way Naomi handled it in the end. When you think about all the things she has gone through, the big matches she’s won, that was a capitulation & the speech!
“To not congratulate Vicky, who’s looked up to u her whole career & just won this massive trophy was sad.”
Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty ImagesVictoria Mboko will rise to a career-high ranking after winning the Canadian Open
Mboko started the year ranked 333 in the world, but in just over seven months she has enjoyed a meteoric rise.
Earlier this season the teenager went on a 22-match win streak on the ITF Tour, the second tier of professional tennis.
She carried that form onto the WTA Tour and now she has claimed one of the biggest titles on offer, on what was a truly magical run on home soil.
Following her latest win, Mboko is now set to break into the WTA’s top 25, which bodes well ahead of the US Open.
Reacting to her phenomenal win in Montreal, Mboko said post-match: “I was super happy to be playing in Montreal for the first time ever.
“I just remember feeling nervous, but really taking in the moment as much as I possibly could. When I won my first round, I was super happy and super content.
“I would have never thought that I would have made it to the final, let alone win the tournament. I have so many emotions going through my head, I can’t even express it.”