A stunning championship upset created an unexpected controversy this week. Naomi Osaka watched an 18-year-old Canadian capture her home tournament, but what happened during the trophy ceremony sparked criticism from a tennis legend. Victoria Mboko\u2019s breakthrough victory at the Canadian Open deserved celebration, yet Osaka\u2019s reaction left many wondering what went wrong in that moment.<\/p>\n
Why Did Naomi Osaka Skip Congratulating Victoria Mboko After Her Historic Win?<\/p>\n
The 2025 National Bank Open, held in Montreal, was Osaka\u2019s sixth appearance at the tournament. The four-time Grand Slam champion has been searching for her first title since the 2021 Australian Open and had delivered an impressive run to the final, defeating several seeded players like Je\u013cena Ostapenko and Elina Svitolina, along the way.<\/p>\n
On the other side of the draw, Mboko, a relative newcomer to the WTA Tour, stunned the field with victories over former Major winners and top-ranked opponents, including Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina. The teenager then rallied from a set down to beat Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1<\/a> in the championship match.<\/p>\n VICTORIA MBOKO WINS THE NATIONAL BANK OPEN \ud83e\udd29\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6#OBN25<\/a> | @OBNmontreal<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/SOa3RN2vLb<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Mboko became only the third Canadian woman in the Open era to capture the national title, joining Faye Urban in 1969 and Bianca Andreescu in 2019. The victory marked a career-defining moment for the young player, who had looked up to Osaka throughout her tennis journey.<\/p>\n What Made Osaka\u2019s Post-Match Speech So Controversial?<\/p>\n Following the loss, Osaka kept her runner-up speech<\/a> strikingly short, thanking her team, event staff, and volunteers but omitting any mention of Mboko\u2019s milestone win. \u201cI don\u2019t really wanna take up too much time. I\u2019ll just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers, and volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night,\u201d she told the Montreal crowd in remarks lasting less than 30 seconds.<\/p>\n Naomi Osaka after losing to Victoria Mboko in Montreal final<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t really wanna take up too much time. I\u2019ll just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers, & volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night.\u201d<\/p>\n pic.twitter.com\/2FG17imqmK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The brevity and tone of the speech contrasted sharply with Mboko\u2019s more heartfelt words, in which she thanked Osaka directly for \u201can incredible match\u201d and acknowledged her as an idol she had long admired. While Mboko embraced the magnitude of her achievement, Osaka\u2019s comments seemed to minimize the significance of the moment.<\/p>\n Former professional player and Serena Williams\u2019 ex-coach Rennae Stubbs\u00a0expressed disappointment that Osaka did not congratulate her teenage opponent on what was a historic victory in Montreal. Stubbs took to X to share her thoughts about the post-match ceremony.<\/p>\n How Did Rennae Stubbs React to Osaka\u2019s Response?<\/p>\n \u201cBut the way Naomi handled it in the end, was a little \ud83d\ude33 . When u think about all the things she has gone thru, the big matches she\u2019s won, that was a capitulation & the speech\ud83d\ude33! 2 not congratulate Vicky, who\u2019s looked up to u her whole career & just won this massive \ud83c\udfc6 was sad,\u201d Stubbs wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n But the way Naomi handled it in the end, was a little \ud83d\ude33 . When u think about all the things she has gone thru, the big matches she\u2019s won, that was a capitulation & the speech\ud83d\ude33! 2 not congratulate Vicky, who\u2019s looked up to u her whole career & just won this massive \ud83c\udfc6 was sad.<\/p>\n \u2014 Rennae Stubbs \u2648\ufe0f (@rennaestubbs) August 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Stubbs described the moment as \u201csad,\u201d pointing out that Osaka had experienced her own share of big-match victories and challenging moments throughout her career. The veteran coach seemed particularly struck by the missed opportunity to acknowledge a young player who had openly expressed admiration for Osaka.<\/p>\n