Young Canadian star Victoria Mboko has struggled to find her footing since winning her maiden WTA Tour title at the Canadian Open.
Mboko stunned tennis fans in Canada, defeating four Grand Slam champions on her way to glory in Montreal.
However, since that triumph, Mboko has set a worrying trend, failing to win a set in her last four matches.
Most recently, the Canadian lost to Dayana Yastremska in the Ningbo Open first round.
However, Mboko has now been handed the perfect opportunity to turn her fortunes around following the release of the Japan Open draw.
Victoria Mboko’s Japan Open draw
In the first round of the Japan Open, Mboko faces 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.
Since suffering an injury at the Canadian Open, Andreescu has lost two WTA Tour main draw matches, at the China Open and Osaka Open.
While Andreescu represents a tough prospective opponent for any WTA Tour player, she has evidently not been playing at her best. Therefore, the opportunity is there for Mboko to capitalise and win her first match in five.
Mboko will face a qualifier or lucky loser in the second round, offering further opportunity to find consistent form and advance in the tournament.
In the Japan Open third round, the 19-year-old will potentially have the opportunity to demonstrate why she is considered one of the most promising young talents on the WTA Tour.
The Canadian will likely face either Leylah Fernandez or Elena Rybakina. Fernandez won her second WTA Tour title of 2025 on Sunday at the Osaka Open, while Rybakina is chasing the last WTA Finals spot and will contest the Ningbo Open final later on Sunday.
The last time Mboko and Rybakina clashed, the Canadian won a tumultuous three-set contest in the Canadian Open semi-finals.
If Mboko does face one of Fernandez and Rybakina, she will have the opportunity to remind tennis fans of her potential and defeat one of the most in-form players on the WTA Tour.
Mboko and Andreescu team up in Japan
In Japan, Mboko will also compete in the women’s doubles competition alongside compatriot Bianca Andreescu.
In the first round, the Canadian pair faces Rebecca Sramkova and China Open finalist Linda Noskova.
In her previous two tournaments, Mboko had been playing doubles alongside fellow youngster Maya Joint.
At the China Open, the pair lost to Olivia Nicholls and Tereza Mihalíková. At the Wuhan Open, they lost to fourth seeds Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani.
