Victoria Mboko collapsed to the court in pure joy, the Montreal crowd erupting as their hometown hero reached her first WTA 1000 final. But in the player’s box, one person remained perfectly still. Her father, Cyprien, sat with barely a smile, his stone-cold expression unchanged even as his 18-year-old daughter achieved the biggest moment of her tennis career. That reaction tells a story deeper than celebration.
Why Does Cyprien Mboko Keep His Stone-Cold Expression During Victoria’s Matches?
Victoria Mboko reached the 2025 Canadian Open final after a thrilling comeback victory over ninth seed Elena Rybakina. Although Mboko lost the first set badly, 1-6, she battled back to take the second set 7-5. The third set became a war of nerves, with Mboko winning a tight tiebreaker 7-6 (4). During that final set, she saved a match point and broke Rybakina’s serve twice to keep her dreams alive.
When Rybakina’s final shot sailed long, Mboko collapsed on the court as IGA Stadium exploded. Fans waved “Allez Vicky” signs while thunderous cheers shook the venue. However, her father, Cyprien Mboko, remained seated with his trademark cold reaction, offering the slightest smile to celebrate his daughter’s career milestone.
The young champion explained her father’s unique approach to watching her matches. On being asked about his stone-faced demeanor, Mboko said:
“He has always actually been like that throughout my whole childhood. He always had a stone-cold face. So, I mean, I kind of like his demeanor when I play because he shows absolutely no emotions when I play and, just looking at them now makes me so happy.”
“Words cannot even describe how I feel right now.”
Victoria Mboko speaks @SNMichaud after the biggest win of her career at #OBN25 pic.twitter.com/htoqbjtb87
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 7, 2025
Cyprien Mboko’s steady presence has been constant throughout Victoria’s journey. The retired mechanical engineer, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, introduced his children to tennis and made enormous sacrifices for Victoria’s career. He bought balls and worked grueling night shifts to drive Victoria to her training sessions during the day, supporting her growth every step of the way.
What Records Did Victoria Mboko Set With Her Victory Over Elena Rybakina?
Mboko’s comeback victory over Rybakina created multiple historic achievements. She became the first Canadian woman in the Open Era to defeat three former Grand Slam champions at a single WTA event, taking down Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina in succession.
Additionally, she joined an exclusive company as only the fourth Canadian to reach the tournament final, following Faye Urban, Vicky Berner, and Bianca Andreescu. More impressively, she’s the only Canadian to accomplish this feat in Montreal.
She’s taking names 📝#OBN25 pic.twitter.com/ttuMimD5g7
— wta (@WTA) August 7, 2025
The records kept piling up for the 18-year-old. Mboko became just the second player in the Open Era whose first-ever WTA-level final came at the Canadian Open, matching Lina Krasnoroutskaya’s achievement from 2003. She joined a rare company as only the third player since 2009 to reach her first WTA final at a 1000 event, alongside Caroline Dolehide (Guadalajara 2023) and Anna Kalinskaya (Dubai 2024).
Perhaps most remarkably, Mboko became only the third wildcard to reach the Canadian Open final. She joins Monica Seles and Simona Halep in that exclusive group, proving that sometimes the most unexpected champions emerge from the biggest stages.
