ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2026

Victoria Mboko

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Vicky, welcome back to Paris, and well done on your run in Strasbourg as well. Talk about how you're feeling and how your preparations have been.

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, I mean, I'm feeling pretty confident. I mean, I haven't really had a lot of matches coming into the clay season, and I think accepting a wild card to Strasbourg last minute was a choice.

I mean, it was a tough choice because it's so close to the tournament, but I'm happy to have gotten some matches before coming into the French Open.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. So just figure it was just bad luck with the health situations that came along? Seemed like you were the last person to get the virus heading into Rome. How long were you sort of down, and when did you decide to take the wild card in Strasbourg, and what were you looking to get out of it?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, I mean, I would say like the whole clay season I got pretty unlucky. I first had my wisdom teeth taken out, so I skipped the first couple of tournaments. I got to play Madrid, but of course, not enough matches. Then I was excited for Rome, and unfortunately got sick the day before my match.

So, yeah, kind of reflecting on all of that, I decided, like, maybe three days after I pulled out that maybe it was beneficial enough for me to take another -- a wild card for Strasbourg to just have something more before coming to Paris.

I mean, I'm happy with the decision, because I mean, it helped me get some matches under my belt and some more clay experience, yeah.

Q. There's a few teenagers kind of coming up together. I know a few of you are good friends as well. What is that like to be able to have, like, your peers coming through at the same time, because that's not always the case, and you're experiencing things, I guess, for the first time or the second time together. Yeah, what's that like?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, I mean, it's really nice. You know, I feel like I've known a lot of them since I was super young. The good thing is they're all really nice girls.

So whenever we can go to the mall or something, take our time and head away from tennis and just relax and have a little bit of fun off court, I think that's super important, because we're on the tour for so long, and you're not really -- you don't really see your close friends.

So making those kinds of friendships on tour I think is super important to have a little peace of mind. They're all such great humans, so it's nice to have them.

Q. You just talked about you wanting to get a little bit more clay court experience or feeling like maybe you don't have that much right now. I wonder if you can talk, like, physically about the movement drills that you do and how you work in practice or if you maybe work with a specific movement coach on getting better at the sliding part of clay, if that's something you focus on?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, I mean, when I first started training, I mean, I never really felt comfortable with my movement on clay. So I think before even getting to the tennis part, I would try to work on the sliding and what not.

I mean, I wouldn't say I'm still that great at it, but you know, I think it's having the fitness to kind of compensate for how you play on court and to kind of help you in those certain aspects.

I think right now I'm a lot better than how I started the training, so I think in those ways I've improved, yeah.

Q. This is going to seem like an obvious question, but what does it feel like to not be good at sliding on clay? When you are going into a shot are you, like, oh shit, oh shit -- oh sorry -- I'm going to trip, or what's going through your mind?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, of course, but I think at the end of the day when you are playing a match, you're still running the best you can to get to each ball. So although I don't consider myself the best mover on clay, but I think I just use what I can to just help me get through these matches, I don't know.

But, yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say I'm super comfortable on it, but it's, I guess, your athlete instincts that just help you get through it.

Q. Can you talk us through your decision to bring Wim on and how he's going to work or if he's going to work with -- you've had these long-term coaches through the Canadian Federation for a while now. How do you see it all going forward?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yeah, well, I'm really excited to start working with Wim. I think bringing in someone who has the experience of working with such high-ranked players, and he has such a history of working with slam champions, and he kind of knows what it takes to get there.

So bringing in that kind of experience for me kind of gives me a different perspective of what I can do to be in those kinds of positions. Yeah, I think it's been great so far, and I've been learning. I think I can learn a lot from him, too. It's such a great addition.

Sorry, what was your other question?

Q. Will you still be working at all with your previous coaching team, or is he the only one now?

VICTORIA MBOKO: No, just with Wim, yeah.

Q. What technically are things that you think you'd like to learn from him?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Technically?

Q. Yeah, because you mentioned, you know, about someone whose been there before, things like that.

VICTORIA MBOKO: I think it's just how you work with the player, like what technically I'm good at or things that I can improve with what I already have, improving my strengths or maybe minimizing my weaknesses.

So, I mean, I guess that varies from player to player whether it's -- I mean, it's been only a week right now, so I can't really say that much has changed, but yeah, I mean, whether maybe some technical aspects and tweaks that I can change that could really go a long way, those kinds of things.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. It's not your favorite surface, but you were just, after playing the finals in Strasbourg. You reached the third round here last year. This is a Grand Slam, so in terms of your frame of mind, how do you feel?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Yes, this is a Grand Slam, and I'm hoping that I'll do well here. I'm very excited ahead of the tournament, and I hope I can win as many matches as possible.

In Strasbourg I didn't think that I'd be able to win so many matches and reach the finals, but I'm very happy about the result, nonetheless. I would not have believed that I would have reached the finals for a clay tournament, so that has boosted my confidence for the French Open ahead.

Q. The clay season was not such a lucky season for you. You had your wisdom teeth surgery, as well. How did you come about accepting these setbacks?

VICTORIA MBOKO: It's not easy if you do not feel well. You may miss a number of matches, but of course, you want to do as best as you can for a Grand Slam.

But I can only accept that. So it did happen. The main thing is to push through, win a few matches, and get ready ahead of the Grand Slam. That was the most important aspect for me.

Q. You had a bit of an issue in Strasbourg with an injury. Do you feel better now?

VICTORIA MBOKO: The clay court is more physical than playing on hard surfaces, so now things are a little difficult with my physical shape. However, I did all the recovery I needed, and hopefully tomorrow I'll do better, and we'll see.

Q. One last word on Wim. He's a really experienced coach. He has had many top players under his wing. A high-ranked coach such as Wim Fissette, such a high profile is not nothing, right? What do you look for in your collabs with your coaches?

VICTORIA MBOKO: He's a very experienced coach. He has worked with top players that have won Grand Slams in the past. I want to win a Grand Slam.

So if I work with someone that has that kind of experience and that has brought many top players to the best Grand Slams, then that can only be positive for me. I'm sure that I can learn a lot from him.