Players are fine tuning with the fourth and final Grand Slam of the season, the US Open, fast approaching.
©Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images/AFP North AmericaDuring the Toronto Masters final between Ben Shelton and Karen Khachanov, the whole crowd cheered in unison on Thursday night.
Their very own, the Canadian teenage sensation Victoria Mboko had just triumphed at the WTA1000 over in Montreal.
It was a special night for Shelton too, as the American powerhouse tasted Masters 1000 glory for the very first time. Two unique talents, two significant trophies.
It will take a sensational storyline to overshadow the fairytale week 18-year-old Victoria Mboko had in Montreal.
The 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback over four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka rubber stamped Mboko’s emergence at the very top of the sport. Remember she qualified for Roland-Garros 2025 and ventured into the third round back in June.
It’s her first title, on home soil. In fact, Mboko trained on the very same courts in Montreal as a kid.
“I think when I had that winning moment and seeing so many people standing up and cheering for me, it was kind of a surreal experience. I would have never thought something like this would have came so suddenly,” declared the Canadian prodigy.
“I'm super happy for that, and I think it just proves that your dreams are closer than they seem.”
Defying a wrist injury sustained in the semi-finals (an MRI scan on Thursday morning gave her the all clear to compete), Mboko became the youngest women since Serena Williams at US Open 1999 (17-years-old) to defeat four Grand Slam champions in the same tournament.
Mboko battled past Sofia Kenin, Roland-Garros 2025 champion Coco Gauff, saved match point in a 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) thriller over Elena Rybakina, before edging Osaka.
To put it all into context, the teenager started the 2025 campaign down at world No.333, now she’s going to crack the Top 30 in the next rankings release.
Mboko, just the third ever wild-card to win a WTA 1000 title, following Maria Sharapova (Cincinnati 2011) and compatriot Bianca Andreescu (Indian Wells 2019), is adamant she’ll stick to her own path and won’t become embroiled in the hype.
“I would understand why there would be a lot of attention around it, but I like to keep things very simple, especially in my life,” mused Mboko.
“I don't want to put so much pressure on myself just because of something that happened this week, because life goes on. There's always another tournament, whether win or lose. I'm just happy to live the moment. Once it's passed, it's passed.”
It was a final fitting of the occasion, Ben Shelton proved why is set to rise to a career-high world No.6 with a significant showing in Toronto.
The 22-year-old clinched his maiden Masters 1000 title with a 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3) rumble across the net from Karen Khachanov.
So young, so much room for improvement, and yet Shelton is a Top 10 talent with three ATP trophies in the cabinet.
“Really happy. I'm really grateful for the opportunity. I feel like it was a perfect storm for me this week,” stated Shelton.
“Not an easy path to the final. My best tennis came out when it mattered most. I was clutch, I persevered, I was resilient. All the qualities I like to see in myself.
“To finish out the week the way that I did, especially with the opponent that I had today, and the way that he was playing, I couldn't be happier.”
Shelton overcame Flavio Cobolli 7-6(1) in a pulsating decider in the Last 16, prior to statement straight-set passages past seeded Alex De Minaur and Taylor Fritz.
It’s been a fortnight of grit, digging in and plenty of crowd-pleasing hot shots to add to trophy lifts in Tokyo (2023) and Houston (2024).
The American signed the on-court broadcast camera lens, “Even more unchartered territory. Humble and hungry.”
A home Grand Slam in New York City is just a fortnight away.
“You never know. I think everyone has a different path. Everyone's story is written differently. I've kind of done it my way. There's been a lot of guys to look up to, just because how young they have been when they have broken through, and have had so much success at big tournaments,” suggested Shelton.
“Tennis seems to be a sport that has young champions all the time, which is not common or normal, it's ultra impressive.
“I hope that this week kind of kick starts me and gets me more consistent with the type of tennis that I want to play day-in and day-out. It's certainly going to push me to work harder. I feel like I have a good grasp now on the things that really work for me against guys who are playing some of the best tennis in the world, and the things that I need to continue to work on.”
ROLAND-GARROS
18 May - 7 June 2026
