The rise of Victoria Mboko shows no signs of slowing down as she heads into the Miami tournament.
The 18-year-old Canadian has quickly become one of the most exciting players on the WTA Tour. She first made headlines last year by winning a WTA 1000 event in Montreal as a wildcard, beating top players like Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka.
Some people were unsure if she could keep that level, as other surprise winners in the past failed to stay at the top. Even Emma Raducanu struggled to build on her US Open win.
After her breakthrough, Mboko had a short dip in form, losing four matches in a row. But she quickly bounced back, winning another title in Hong Kong and finishing the year ranked 18th in the world.
She has started 2026 strongly, reaching the final in Adelaide, the last 16 at the Australian Open, the final in Doha, and the quarter-finals at Indian Wells. Along the way, she has beaten several top players.
Her only recent defeats have come against top opponents, including world number one Aryna Sabalenka, showing she is already competing at the highest level.
Her performances against Sabalenka also show clear improvement, as she is now much more competitive and confident in big matches.
Looking ahead, Mboko has a good chance to go far in Miami. She could face Iga Świątek in the later rounds, which would be a big test.
She is currently ranked ninth in the world and could move even higher. A top-seven seeding at the French Open is possible if she continues her strong form.
Mboko’s powerful and varied style also gives her a good chance on clay courts. Last year, she showed promise on that surface, including a strong run at Roland Garros.
While other young players like Mirra Andreeva have had mixed results after early success, Mboko has taken a steady and consistent path.
She may not have been tipped as a future star before, but she is quickly proving that she belongs among the very best.
