Victoria Mboko’s hopes of winning a second WTA 1000 title were ended on Saturday by Karolina Muchova.
Muchova, the new world number 11, defeated Mboko 6-4, 7-5 in the Qatar Open final, winning her first title since the 2019 Korea Open.
Mboko, who defeated Mirra Andreeva and Elena Rybakina on her way to the final, has achieved a career-high ranking of world number 10 following her successful campaign in Doha.
Despite losing the final, Mboko can be proud of the incredible performances she put in throughout her campaign in Doha.
Victories against Andreeva and Rybakina prove that the 19-year-old is far from a flash in the pan, and will most certainly be a major player at future Grand Slam events.
Victoria Mboko can win a Grand Slam title in 2026
When analysing whether Victoria Mboko can win a Grand Slam title in 2026, tennis fans may point to her youth as a reason why she won’t achieve that goal.
However, youth is of little relevance if you possess the talent and drive of Victoria Mboko.
The 19-year-old has now reached two WTA 1000 titles in the space of six months, while proving that she can consistently defeat some of the biggest stars on the WTA Tour.
Since making her breakthrough on the Tour last year, Mboko has defeated Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva and Elena Rybakina twice.
Her ability to stay composed in high pressure moments, combined with an innate ability to strike the ball at a high-velocity, makes Mboko a major contender for the remaining Grand Slam titles this year.
Mboko has only played at four Grand Slam events so far. Last year, she reached the third round of the French Open, second round of Wimbledon, and first round of the US Open.
The Canadian began this year’s Grand Slam journey by reaching the Australian Open fourth round.
- Qatar Open round of 64 – defeated Marie Bouzkova 7-5, 6-2
- Round of 32 – defeated Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-4
- Quarter-finals – defeated Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 3-6, 7-6
- Semi-finals – defeated Elena Rybakina 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
- Final: lost to Karolina Muchova 4-6, 5-7.
Victoria Mboko’s Grand Slam debut
After winning three qualifying rounds, Mboko made her main-draw debut at a Grand Slam at the 2025 French Open.
The Canadian wasted little time getting used to her surroundings, defeating former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Lulu Sun 6-1, 7-6 to reach the second round.
After winning the contest, Mboko told reporters: “It’s been my first Grand Slam ever, so there’s a lot of emotions going on.
“I’m also just very excited to be here, to qualify, honestly just to win my first round in the main draw.
“I’m super content right now and I’m super happy with the way I’ve been playing. Hopefully I can continue on doing the same thing [smiling].
Mboko won her second round contest, defeating Eva Lys 6-4, 6-4. She then lost to Qinwen Zheng in the third round: 3-6, 4-6.