Victoria Mboko has exited the US Open after losing in the first round to Barbora Krejcikova.
After the high of capturing her first WTA Tour title at the Canadian Open, Mboko was brought back down to earth by two-time Grand Slam champion Krejcikova.
Krejcikova defeated the 19-year-old Canadian star 6-3 6-2 on Monday.
Mboko, who described her seeded position at the US Open as ‘insane to think about,’ will now turn her attention to the year-ending Asian swing.
Following her loss, Mboko described one thing that ‘surprised’ her during the match.
Victoria Mboko was surprised by the amount of American fans supporting her at the US Open
Mboko became an overnight sensation by winning the Canadian Open; and she has handled the fame and attention like a seasoned professional.
This was evident yet again in her post-match press conference, where she handled the loss with immense composure and maturity beyond her years.
The Canadian described how grateful she was to have the support of American fans during her loss to Krejcikova.
Speaking to reporters after the loss, Mboko said: “I was kind of surprised with how many people were there to support me.
“I felt really happy and really grateful to have that many American fans who were cheering for me and very supportive.
“So I think that was amazing, and I think that was one really big takeaway I can say: that there were so many great people.”
Victoria Mboko’s serving struggles
When Victoria Mboko is serving at her best, she is nearly impossible to beat.
However, her serving left a lot to be desired against Barbora Krejcikova in the US Open first round.
The Canadian, who has frequently registered over 10 aces in matches during her career so far, only served two against the Czech star, while also serving 10 double faults.
The 19-year-old also struggled mightily on her second serve, winning just 28 per cent of those points.
Mboko’s struggles on serve were encapsulated by the number of break-point opportunities she offered to Krejcikova. Despite saving seven break-points, Mboko was broken four times throughout the match.
