Paula Badosa, the world’s 11th ranked tennis player, was left astounded by the talent of 18-year-old Victoria Mboko during their Miami Open second-round match. Badosa was so impressed by Mboko’s performance that she expressed to her team that Mboko was “outplaying Aryna Sabalenka,” one of the top-ranked players in the world.
Mboko, a Canadian prodigy, started this season with an impressive winning streak of 22 matches, all taking place at the ITF level. She achieved this feat without dropping a single set, ultimately earning herself four Futures titles. Her remarkable performance did not escape the attention of the Miami Open organizers, who rewarded her with a wildcard entry.
Making her WTA 1000 debut, Mboko surprised everyone by defeating Camila Osorio in a three-set match. When she was pitted against Badosa, who reached the Australian Open semifinals earlier this year, she gave a tough fight. Although she lost the first set, she gained an early 3-0 lead in the second set.
Caught off guard by Mboko’s performance, Badosa confided to her team, “I’m unsure of my strategy. She’s playing even better than Aryna Sabalenka.” Despite her initial concerns, Badosa managed to pull herself together and win the fourth game, reducing the deficit to 3-1.
However, the young Canadian star was not deterred. She won the next three games and forced a third set. The third set saw Badosa lose a 5-2 lead, making her path to victory more complex. Nevertheless, she showed her mettle in the tie-break and managed to avert an unexpected defeat.
Badosa will now face Clara Tauson in her next match. Tauson has already made it to the finals twice in 2025 and holds a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over Badosa. This suggests that Badosa, the 27-year-old Spanish player, has another strenuous challenge awaiting her in Miami.