Victoria Mboko, the 19-year-old Canadian tennis sensation, commenced her Roland Garros journey with a decisive victory on Tuesday, overcoming Nikola Bartunkova in a contest between two promising young talents. Mboko, who is the ninth seed in the women’s draw, defeated Bartunkova with a score of 6-1, 6-2 in a match that lasted 69 minutes. This marked their inaugural encounter at the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz level.
Bartunkova, aged 20 and making her debut at Roland Garros, began the match strongly, securing her first service game to take a 1-0 lead. Her proficiency at the net was evident, as she won 11 of 13 points in that area. However, Mboko quickly found her rhythm, sweeping the subsequent six games to claim the first set in just over 30 minutes. Mboko showcased a varied shot selection, utilizing both backhand and forehand winners to establish her dominance.
The second set mirrored the first in its early stages. Bartunkova maintained her competitive spirit, breaking Mboko to lead 1-0. Nevertheless, Mboko immediately broke back, and after a brief exchange of holds, she secured a crucial break to go up 4-2. An ace further extended her lead to 5-2, and her sixth break of the match sealed her victory, ending Bartunkova’s pursuit of a first Roland Garros win. Mboko recorded 22 winners and 15 unforced errors, converting 60% of her break points.
Mboko’s recent form and coaching partnership
Mboko’s advancement to the second round follows a strong performance last week at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, where she reached the final before a three-set loss to Emma Navarro. This recent form is part of a meteoric rise that has seen her enter the Top 10 in the world rankings 12 months after her Roland Garros debut. Last year, she successfully qualified for the tournament and reached the third round.
The Canadian has also recently formed a new partnership with decorated Belgian coach Wim Fissette. Fissette has a notable track record, having coached several major winners, including Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, Naomi Osaka, and Iga Swiatek. Mboko hopes this collaboration will help her achieve her ambition of winning a Grand Slam title, adding her name to Fissette’s list of accomplished champions.
Upcoming challenge for Mboko
In the next round, Mboko is set to face another Czech opponent, Katerina Siniakova. This will be their first professional meeting, with a coveted spot in the third round of the tournament at stake. Siniakova, a 30-year-old veteran, is currently ranked No. 36 in singles and is also part of the top-ranked doubles team at Roland Garros alongside American Taylor Townsend.
Meanwhile, in other Canadian action at Roland Garros, Denis Shapovalov was eliminated in the first round after a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 loss to Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria. Shapovalov, aged 27, registered 10 aces but also committed eight double faults and 48 unforced errors, bringing his season record to 8-11. Later on Tuesday, men’s fourth seed Félix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal was scheduled to compete against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier.
Match statistics for Mboko
- Aces: 3
- Winners: 22
- Unforced errors: 15
- First-serve percentage: 60% (28 of 47)
- First-serve points won: 64% (18 of 28)
- Second-serve points won: 58% (11 of 19)
- Receiving points won: 60% (31 of 52)
- Break points converted: 60% (6 of 10)
Mboko’s strong performance in her opening match sets the stage for a compelling second-round encounter against Siniakova, as she aims to match or surpass her third-round showing from her tournament debut last year.
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