Recognised for her achievements: Victoria Mboko rewarded with key to hometown after glorious breakout campaign

A special season for Victoria Mboko has seen her end up earning a truly special reward from her hometown in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. She received the key to her hometown in recognition of her breakout year on the court.

The Canadian was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, but made the move up north to Canada shortly after, where she has resided from the age of two months. She has become a fantastic tennis player after years of work and grinding, with her efforts getting recognised in her hometown, where it all started.

Burlington offers the key to the city to the most notable residents. It is a highly prestigious award which is offered to celebrate the achievement of one's career. Mboko is the next person to claim this honour, recently been given it in the new community centre.

A huge reason for this reward was her incredible run in the Canadian Open a few months ago. She defeated the likes of Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina enroute to a final showdown against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. The 19-year-old fought her way past the Japanese star to win a truly phenomenal title in Montreal. She was heavily lauded for this from many Canadians, including Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden. “We’ve always had great tennis players in Canada, but ... whether we had watched tennis before or not, everyone was a tennis fan for those weeks," he said.

Closer to home, local politician Angelo Bentivegna has watched Mboko's career in awe, hugely inspired by what he had seen from the young star. "You’ve shown determination, humility and strength beyond your years," he said. "While the world sees a champion, we see someone who reflects the heart and spirit of Burlington.”

Mboko has spoken highly about her hometown, wanting tennis to grow in the area. “The community here is so welcoming and friendly,” she stated. “We have almost everything we need around here and I have been and continue to be so blessed to live here and have the opportunities my family created for me. It’s something I don’t take lightly and I’ve set out as a goal in the future for myself to help provide and create opportunities for others. To that extent, if I were to ever have one wish, it’d be to have more tennis courts here in Burlington.”

The Canadian Open was the most notable achievement she made this year, but it was not the only one. Starting the year as the world number 333, she was unknown to a lot of tennis fans. She made her maiden Grand Slam debut after qualifying for the French Open. She hugely impressed, defeating Lulu Sun and Eva Lys in straight sets before ultimately succumbing to defeat against Zheng Qinwen. She backed this up by qualifying for Wimbledon, this time as a lucky loser. Her run was halted in the second-round at the hands of Hailey Baptiste.

After a premature run in the DC Open, she upped the gears in the Canadian Open. It was a dream run from the teenage talent, with every win gaining her more confidence and belief. The title meant that she did not just automatically qualify for the US Open, but she was seeded.

It was an anti-climax, however, as she would go on a four-tournament losing streak. If there were any doubters to her immense talent, they would be proved wrong at the Hong Kong Open. Mboko finished her breakout year with a second WTA title, showcasing once more the potential she has. Due to this, she finishes the year as the world number 18, with her achievements not going unnoticed by the WTA who nominated her for newcomer of the year. 2026 will be another chance for her to take that next step in the sport.