Ben Shelton and Karen Khachanov set up a blockbuster summit clash at the 2025 Canadian Open in Toronto on Thursday, August 7.
In tennis, the crowd usually stays silent during points, but midway through the match, the spectators in Toronto suddenly erupted after an update from Montreal, leaving both Shelton and Khachanov puzzled about the cause of the unexpected cheer.
Ben Shelton and Karen Khachanov’s Canadian Open Final Interrupted As Victoria Mboko Wins WTA 1000 Title
Victoria Mboko’s dream run at the Canadian Open culminated in a stunning triumph as she defeated four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka to claim her first WTA 1000 title. Her victory in Montreal made waves globally and even sparked a roar from the crowd during the men’s final in Toronto.
Mboko, the home favorite, had a slow start, dropping the first set 6-2. Just when it seemed the Japanese star had the match in hand, the Canadian mounted a remarkable comeback, converting eight of nine break points and taking the next two sets 6-4, 6-1. The Montreal crowd erupted in delight as Mboko became the third from her nation in the Open Era to capture the Canadian Open title.
Moreover, when news of Mboko’s victory reached Toronto’s Sobeys Stadium, where the men’s final between Shelton and Khachanov was underway, the crowd celebrated a home hope winning the WTA 1000 title.
In fact, the commentator clarified that the uproar from the crowd was in response to the 18-year-old’s historic triumph. The thunderous cheer briefly halted the match, leaving Shelton and Khachanov puzzled about the cause. Shelton approached the chair umpire for clarification and was informed of the news.
‘I guess the Canadian player won in Montreal.’
Scenes in Toronto as the crowd goes wild after Victoria Mboko’s match point, interrupting play!
Umpire Fergus Merphy to Ben Shelton, confused: ‘I guess the Canadian player won in Montreal’ 🏆🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/3vQsC2f7oP
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) August 8, 2025
Some Other Milestones Mboko Achieved by Winning the Canadian Open Title
By winning her first career title, and that too at a WTA 1000 event, the Canadian rising star may have signaled a promising future. Her triumph in Montreal also came with several other notable milestones.
Interestingly, Mboko defeated four Grand Slam champions on her way to the title: Osaka, Elena Rybakina, Sofia Kenin, and Coco Gauff. She also became the second youngest women’s player to defeat four major champions at a tournament in tennis history, after Serena Williams achieved the feat in 1999.
HOW DID MBOKO GET THAT 🤯🤯
She shows off unbelievable court coverage for the @BetMGM shot of the day!#OBN25 pic.twitter.com/QjtEX6DQ6S
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 8, 2025
Mboko’s monumental win in Montreal is set to propel her up the WTA rankings, jumping from No. 85 to No. 25. In Toronto, meanwhile, Shelton clinched his first Masters 1000 title, beating Khachanov 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3).
