“This could be something special”: Felix Auger-Aliassime hints at Olympic future with Victoria Mboko

Felix Auger-Aliassime teamed up with Victoria Mboko for the first time in mixed doubles, a partnership that ended in victory for Canada at the United Cup. The world No. 5 revealed that, even during the tie against China, he was already thinking about the possibility of playing together at the 2028 Olympic Games alongside the young star.

Mboko arrived in Sydney to make her United Cup debut with high expectations. At just 19 years old, she established herself as one of the rising stars on the WTA Tour within a matter of months and finished the year as Canada’s No. 1, following her title run at the Hong Kong Open in November. As a result, she carried the responsibility of partnering Auger-Aliassime in search of a strong campaign for the Canadians.

Against China, both players lived up to their favourite status in singles. Mboko defeated Zhu Lin after coming back from a set down (2–6, 6–2, 6–0), while Auger-Aliassime secured a straight-sets win (6–4, 6–4). In the mixed doubles, they had no trouble overcoming specialists You Xiaodi and Te Rigele (6–1, 6–3), sealing a 3–0 victory for Canada, who now see a clear path towards the quarter-finals.

“We came in very focused at the start of the tournament, and hopefully we can go all the way,” said Auger-Aliassime after the match. “It was good to spend time on court together. It was our first time playing as a team — getting to know each other, how we move on court, our favourite shots and habits. I’m glad we were able to share the court, get the win, and give Canada a 3–0 start to the competition.”

The 25-year-old begins the season with major ambitions, especially after a strong finish to 2025, when he reached the semi-finals of both the ATP Finals and the US Open, as well as the final of the Paris Masters, in addition to lifting the European Open title — his third trophy of the season.

“I think I have to give a shout-out to the players who came before us. We always learn from those who paved the way — players like Genie Bouchard, Milos Raonic, and Vasek Pospisil, who just retired,” said the 2022 Davis Cup champion. “Those were the guys we grew up watching. You think, if they can do it, then we can do it too. Then the federation and everyone back home put things in place to help us reach our potential.”

Auger-Aliassime also highlighted the depth of the Canadian team, which features several players at the top level, and now includes Mboko as one of its key assets in international team competitions. “We’ve been building year after year, winning team competitions at a high level. I’m really happy with what Canadian tennis has been doing — and now to have Vicky stepping up after a breakthrough year, it’s amazing. It really is.”

Later on, the 25-year-old Canadian continued to praise Mboko, admitting that he is already considering the possibility of pairing up with her at Los Angeles 2028, while still acknowledging the strength of other leading Canadian women. “It was great to share the court with Victoria. Even during doubles, I was thinking about the upcoming Olympic Games and that this could be something special. If we both continue to play good tennis and stay healthy, many things can happen.”

“I was very happy to see her progress last year. It’s always good to have strong male and female players on the circuit — they push each other to be better. It’s not just Vicky; Leylah is still there, Bianca is back. There are many good players, both on the men’s and women’s sides.”

Meanwhile, Mboko was making her United Cup debut and playing mixed doubles for the first time in her career. “Last year felt like a bit of a blur. Everything happened so fast, yet it also felt really long,” said the 19-year-old. “Going into 2026, I just want to have fun, stay consistent, stay healthy, and try to carry as much success as I can into this year.”

“It was actually my first time playing mixed doubles, so sharing the court with Félix really made my night,” she added. “Overall, it was a great experience. I think he helped me a lot during the match — he carried me pretty well and made things a lot easier. So yeah, it was great.”