OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

August 6, 2025

Victoria Mboko

Press Conference

V. MBOKO/E. Rybakina

1-6, 7-5, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Vicky, what's going through your mind?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, it's been a crazy night for me. For my first-ever final of a 1000, it's unbelievable to even think about it, and I'm just really happy to be here and just to celebrate it with all the Canadian fans that came to watch.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. First of all, how's the wrist?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, it's feeling a lot better. When I fell, of course, in the match, it was a lot of, like, emotions. It was during the match, a lot of adrenaline. It was kind of a little bit painful during that, but it's definitely cooled down a lot more.

I'm just going to take care of it tonight and just have some rest.

Q. How did you manage to get back into the match after the first set?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Well, after the first set, of course, Elena was playing really great tennis. I didn't have really much time to reflect on how I can improve and how I can do better.

But you know, I think she was playing really great, and I kind of put in my head that I want to stay in there with her, and I want to bring as many balls back in the court as I possibly could, despite she was hitting a really clean and hard ball.

So I think I just had that kind of mentality in the second set, and it really helped me get through a lot of difficult points as well.

Q. The crowd, obviously on your side. How much of an impact or did it have an impact on the play?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, of course, I feel like every day I've been thanking them for how much they've been helping me. But I mean, playing in front of the home crowd obviously has its advantages.

You always have everyone pumping you up as much as they can. It really pulls me through in the tough moments where I'm maybe not as positive, but you know, everybody has been really positive with me this week. I feel really blessed to have that kind of support.

Q. Vicky, what are you most proud of when it comes to your performance tonight?

VICTORIA MBOKO: I would say my ability to kind of come back in the third set. I mean, I feel like after I had that fall, I wasn't in the greatest spirits. Of course, she was playing really great tennis on top of that, but I'm happy that I kept my composure, and I was kind of patient in the right moments.

Yeah, I just feel really happy that I was able to bounce back after being down. Even a match point, I think. Yeah, she had a match point, so...

No, I think I'm really happy with what I could have done.

Q. In the tiebreak there was a point you lost that went 25 shots I think, 4-All. You didn't lose a point after that. Could you gain confidence even in losing a point? What do you remember about that?

VICTORIA MBOKO: I mean, in the tiebreaker, of course, everything is really stressful, and everything seems very fast-paced. In tiebreaker every point counts. I really put emphasis on that, especially in that kind of moment where I had that really long point.

I wanted to as much as I can to put as many balls in the court and to fight as hard as I possibly could. So I wanted to stay really calm as well, because it's an incredibly stressful moment. I feel like I've been in situations where the score was tight, and I kind of panicked a little bit, but I really wanted to calm myself down and forget about the last point and always focus on the next.

Q. You have a chance to hoist a trophy here. Do you allow yourself to think of that? Do you remember when Bianca did it? How are you feeling about that opportunity?

VICTORIA MBOKO: I mean, I actually didn't really think of it until now. Of course, I have the opportunity to lift that beautiful trophy, but you know, I still have one match to go.

I'm always kind of focused on the present moment. I don't really focus on the end, but it's obviously a vision I would like to see. That's what I'm playing for, so...

Q. I was hoping to get your perspective on your potential opponents there. It looks like it could be Osaka. Obviously they're playing, but a thought on Osaka and Tauson?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Well, they're both playing pretty good tennis from what I've kind of seen in their past matches. I mean, whoever wins, I just know I'm going to have a really hard battle tomorrow.

Yeah, they're both pretty hard hitters. They're both very great players as well. I mean, whoever wins, I'm just expecting a really great battle tomorrow.

Q. How would you describe, Vicky, how you felt after you win the match? What's going through you in that moment?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Well, in that moment, I mean, since it was really tight -- I mean, it was 7-6 in the third, so I kind of -- on the match point I kind of had some nerves a little bit.

But I mean, when I had that winning point and I won, I really couldn't believe it, because at some point, I mean, I feel like I kind of lost a little bit, and she was really dominating. So to have gone through what I have gone through in the third set and to win it on the match point just felt really, really great.