ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2026

Victoria Mboko

Press Conference

V. MBOKO/K. Siniakova

5-7, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Vicky, congratulations. Great win tonight. Just give us your overview on the match and your performance and your thoughts of being into round three.

VICTORIA MBOKO: I'm very happy to be in the third round. Katerina, she's a very great player. She has really great results in singles and doubles. I mean, it wasn't an easy match today. Of course, I didn't really feel my best, but I don't really want to discredit her, because she also plays really great tennis.

I'm just happy to be in round three, and hopefully I can just build more momentum and build more confidence.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Just curious, since you weren't feeling your best, how did you kind of get through it, and what were you telling yourself to get over?

VICTORIA MBOKO: I feel like I started the match pretty solid. I mean, I feel like there was moments in the match where I was a bit flat-footed and kind of spraying a lot of errors and wasn't just feeling myself.

I think just trying to stay in there as much as I could with her was important to me, and you know, finding the right moments to kind of come back and try to flip the score around.

I'm just really happy to get the win to be in the next round.

Q. I just wondered if you had seen, there have been reports that you're going to be playing doubles with Serena at Queens. I just wondered if you had any comment on that.

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, well, you know, I'm very happy. You know, me and Serena have stayed in touch, which is really, really nice, because you know, I really look up to her. I mean, the fact that she even knows me is very, it's very exciting (laughing).

I think for me I want to kind of let the moment for her. I feel like if she's ready to come back on her own terms, then I feel like it's up to her to announce that, but other than that, I can't really -- I don't really have much to say.

Yeah, I think the moment is all up to her, and when she's ready to come back, yeah, it's up to her.

Q. You said you stayed in touch with Serena. When did you two first connect?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, I mean, we sometimes, like here and there, I know she's texted me. I can't really tell you the exact date. I don't know.

But, I mean, it's really cool that she kind of follows with the results. Yeah, then again, she knows who I am, so I mean, I wouldn't say there's -- I can't remember an exact date, but quite a bit of time.

Q. Is it, like, hey, Vicky, I saw you on TV. I think you're really cool. What was the sort of first contact?

VICTORIA MBOKO: I mean, I think a friend of a friend kind of told me that she watched my match or something. I also remember even, like, last year with Venus, she watched my match in Montreal.

Yeah, I think when I'm playing some matches like that and she's able to watch and I'm hearing from other people that she's watched my matches, which is pretty cool.

Q. What was your reaction when Serena Williams reached out to you in that way? What did that mean to you to have Serena reach out to you?

VICTORIA MBOKO: I looked up to her. She's my idol, so it's really cool.

Q. Just what does it say about you that you're able to win matches when you're not feeling good?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, I mean, I think it happens to the best of us. I don't think every day I'm going to have my best performance, but I mean, I'm just happy to kind of have pulled it through.

Yeah, I feel like what's important is that you have the opportunity to kind of improve yourself and be better the next round. I just feel really happy to have kind of pulled through and got through like the tough moments in the match, so yeah.

Q. Was the news coming out in the last 24 hours, was it at all distracting or anything as you tried to prep for this match?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, I mean, I don't really -- especially during tournaments I'm not really on my phone a lot. I know I've had some people ask me, but I was kind of focused for today. I had a match late today, so I'm not really on socials or I'm not really looking at a lot of stuff, because I kind of want to just relax a little bit.

Q. What's your earliest memory of Serena? What do you remember about when you were younger following her?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Well, I mean, I remember watching her, watching her on the US Open at TV and then seeing her in person. It's now the National Bank Open, but Rogers Cup. I feel like it was hard not to like her because she won, like, everything.

I think she was such a great role model and such an inspiration to so many young girls out there.