A Rolex partnership, marked maturity but the same Victoria Mboko in Australian Open run: "What you do on court is what gets you things off the court"

Victoria Mboko says she is embracing every new experience at the Australian Open after reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career, following a hard-fought 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Clara Tauson in Melbourne.

The teenager was pushed to the limit in a match she knew in advance would demand patience and resilience against one of the tour’s cleanest ball strikers. “Today was a pretty difficult match,” Mboko said in her press conference. “Going into the match, I knew I had to really fight hard. She’s a really great ball striker, so I wanted to make sure I was in there with her as much as I possibly could.”

The contest swung back and forth across three sets, with Tauson saving multiple match points, before Mboko steadied herself late to close out the win. “She had a lot of good rallies and good shots, and she saved a couple of match points,” Mboko said. “I was glad I was able to turn it around and find my composure to take it at the end of the day.”

Reaching the second week of a Grand Slam had been more of an aspiration than an expectation for Mboko at the start of the season, particularly given this is her first appearance at the Australian Open. “I didn’t really expect that,” she admitted. “Every tournament I play, I always want to do well, but this is my first ever fourth round in a Grand Slam and my first time playing here. I didn’t have any expectations on myself.”

What has stood out most, she says, is the experience of competing on some of the sport’s biggest stages. “It’s really cool to have played so many matches on stadium courts,” she said. “It’s just been a lot of fun.”

Her reward is a fourth-round meeting with world number one Aryna Sabalenka — another milestone in a tournament already full of firsts. “I’ve never played a current number one in the world,” Mboko said. “I assume we’d be playing on Rod Laver as well, and I’ve never played on a Grand Slam centre court either. So that’s a lot of firsts.”

Rather than feeling overwhelmed, Mboko is relishing the opportunity. “It’s something not many people get to experience, and to be doing that on Sunday is really cool,” she said. “I just want to go out there and show what I’ve got.”

Despite being relatively new to Grand Slam competition, Mboko believes her busy match schedule leading into Melbourne has helped her adapt to the physical and emotional rhythm of a major.

“I’ve been playing a lot of matches prior to coming here, so it’s been nice to get some rhythm,” she said. “Sometimes it helps to have a day off in between to rest and let your body relax.”

However, her workload has been increased by her decision to also compete in doubles. “I am entered in doubles as well, so it’s not quite the case for me,” she said. “But I like it so far. I’m just taking it day by day and having fun.”

That adaptability has already seen Mboko rise rapidly up the rankings, becoming a top-20 seed without yet completing a full season on the WTA Tour. “Everyone is really good anyway,” she said. “Playing a lot of high-quality players prepares you with the ball striking. Whether you win or lose, you can learn a lot.”

Mboko accepts that she will often be facing older, more experienced opponents — something she views as a positive rather than a disadvantage. “I’m always going to play someone older than me who’s been playing longer than I have,” she said. “It’s just those experiences that get me through.”

Several teenage players have impressed in Melbourne this year, and Mboko says there is a strong sense of familiarity and mutual support among her generation. “I’ve known a lot of them for such a long time and played against them in juniors,” she said. “It’s really nice to see so many of us still in the tournament.”

While she has been praised for her maturity, Mboko believes it is something that develops naturally when players are exposed to the tour environment early. “I honestly don’t feel like I’m that much more mature,” she said. “But coming onto the tour early can make you more mature in a way. You learn a lot more things quicker and from different experiences.”

Although her rise has appeared smooth from the outside, Mboko was keen to stress that setbacks have played a crucial role in her development. “Not every trajectory is just going to be upwards,” she said. “You’re going to have moments where you’re struggling, but that’s all part of the learning process.”

Rather than pointing to one defining defeat, Mboko says every loss has contributed to her growth. “As long as you’re not winning every tournament, you’re going to lose every week,” she said. “Especially last year and this year, I’ve tried to improve from every loss.”

Those lessons can be physical or mental — from fitness issues to managing stress and self-talk during matches. "There were times where I wasn’t so positive with myself, or I wasn’t physically active enough,” she explained. “That’s something I can learn from and say I need to improve my fitness or stay calmer in those moments.”

Much of that reflection feeds directly into her training blocks, where she tries to recreate the toughest scenarios she encounters in competition. “When I start my training blocks, I focus on things like fitness and stamina,” Mboko said. “I try to put myself in difficult situations that I would experience in a match, so I can try to overcome them.”

Away from the court, Mboko recently signed with Rolex — a milestone that reflects her growing profile — but she insists it has not changed her approach. “I don’t put more pressure on myself because of it,” she said. “I’m still the same person. What you do on court is what gets you things off the court.”

Her perspective is shaped by memories of her first experiences at Melbourne Park, including her run to the junior doubles final in 2022. “That was my first ever Grand Slam experience,” she said. “I remember seeing the site and the atmosphere and just being so happy to be there.”

Those memories continue to guide her outlook today. “That’s how I go into every tournament now, regardless of how big it is,” Mboko said. “I’m just really happy to be here. It’s a privilege.”