"We set clear goals": Victoria Mboko's coach shares real reason behind withdrawal from Cincinnati Open after Canadian Open triumph

Canada’s Victoria Mboko has become the new talk of the town in the tennis world. The 18-year-old shocked everyone with her rise as she lifted the Canadian Open after beating the former world number one, Japan’s Naomi Osaka, in the final with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.

On her way, Mboko defeated four Grand Slam winners, including Osaka. In the round of 64, Mboko defeated former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-3. In the round of 16, Mboko got the better of the reigning French Open champion and top-seed America’s Coco Gauff in straight sets with a score of 6-1, 6-4.

In the semifinals, Mboko came back from a set down and saved match points before eventually coming out on top against former Wimbledon champion Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina with a sore of 1-6, 7-6, 7-5. After securing the triumph, Mboko was originally was set to feature in the ongoing Cincinnati Open where her first match was going to be in the round of 64 against Russia’s Diana Shnaider.

However, Mboko announced withdrawal from the competition because of a wrist injury. "I just want to take care of my wrist a little bit right now, and I think it's just very close and sudden for me to go there and play again I think in, like, two days," said Mboko while announcing her decision. "I think I'm just going to sit out on that one and prepare for the upcoming tournaments."

Now, Mboko’s coach Nathalie Tauziat has spoken to the media and announced more detailed reasons behind taking such a decision. Tauziat stated that decision was taken to manage Mboko’s schedule in a better way ahead of the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open, which will begin in two weeks’ time.

"After Roland-Garros, when we mapped out the schedule leading up to the US Open, we set clear goals,” said Tauziat. “Based on how she’s playing, we know she’s capable of achieving something big in New York. So, we want to focus 100% on this tournament, to arrive well-prepared and without injury. After Montreal, it was crucial to manage the schedule wisely, which is why we’re not going to Cincinnati."

Victory in Montreal was a special one for Mboko for so many reasons, one of them was that she managed to lift the biggest title in her young career against a player whom she has idolize all her career in Osaka. The victory was also very important for Mboko who is now set to enter the US Open as one of the seeded players as the triumph has pushed her as high as 24th in the WTA rankings. Talking how significant it was to win the title on her home soil, Mboko shared some interesting insights about how she had to deal with the rush of blood, especially towards the end of the contest.

“It’s been an incredible week here in Montreal,” said Mboko while talking to the media. “I also want to thank Naomi for an incredible match. I’ve always looked up to her when I was really little, so it’s always great to play with an amazing player like you. Lastly, I want to thank every single one of you who came to support me throughout this whole week. You guys were incredible, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I just kept saying to myself, ‘You have one more to go. I had the fighting mentality. I wanted to run and put as many balls back in the court as possible. When I had that winning moment and seeing so many people standing up and cheering for me, it was kind of a surreal experience.”