British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

RE: Week 31 & 32 - WTA1000 Montreal, Canada - Hard

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

GAMEOVER wrote:
Not a stellar tournament for the top of the womens game. Of the top 10 women 2 did not play , 7 failed to reach the quarter finals and Madison Keys the only one left saved match points against Muchova. Anisimova well beaten in the next round after beating Emma. However Clara Tauson who was a rival of Emma's before her US Open win beat Swiatek and has reached a live career high in the top 20.

Yes but it was an important tournament for womens tennis as it was the breakthrough of a new star in Victoria Mboko.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

GAMEOVER wrote:
This might have been forgotten but back in February 2025 Victoria Mboko won the $35k tournament in Manchester. She then ranked 213 in the world. Did anybody in this forum watch her? Also in the field was Lois Boisson who then ranked 230. As a cautionary tale losing in the first round was Ana Konjuh who won Nottingham in 2015 and was the top ranked teenager in 2017 before her career was derailed by elbow injuries.

Vicky Mboko's wrist was clearly hurting her yesterday - and today she's having an MRI because it's all swollen and worse

As you say, injuries/lack of injuries are key

SO hoping that she doesn't have a serious problem (although at least she's young enough to have time on her side)

Yes, I saw some of Mboko through the last 12 months and have watched her whenever I can - she's been a big name in juniors - she thrashed Iva Jovic at the US Open juniors last year, when everyone was expecting Iva to walk through the draw, and was a presence during the grass season

And being based in Europe for adults this year is quite unusual and has meant she's been a lot more accessible for watching (in terms of time, and interest - she won the two Dom-Tom events, and then beat Harriet at Porto etc)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Osaka seems to be getting some flack for not congratulating Mboko and a generally quite sour losers speech.

Oh dear - but it is Osaka so, not a big surprise !

9vicman · Futures qualifying

Osaka normally isn't sour but I guess she really thought she was going to win. Both she and Mboko are out of Cincinnatti. I wonder how many top names will play both events.

the addict · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
Osaka normally isn't sour but I guess she really thought she was going to win. Both she and Mboko are out of Cincinnatti. I wonder how many top names will play both events.

Osaka claims "Change of Schedule" whilst Mboko is noted as "Injury". Four lucky losers in the draw at the moment, who just happen to have ended up as two QvQ spots.

adz1983 · Strong Club Player

the addict wrote:
9vicman wrote:
Osaka normally isn't sour but I guess she really thought she was going to win. Both she and Mboko are out of Cincinnatti. I wonder how many top names will play both events.
Osaka claims "Change of Schedule" whilst Mboko is noted as "Injury". Four lucky losers in the draw at the moment, who just happen to have ended up as two QvQ spots.

Explanation here:

https://www.wtatennis.com/news/4336708/montreal-finalists-mboko-osaka-withdraw-from-cincinnati

the addict · Tennis legend

Thanks, that's interesting. "Performance Bye" is something I haven't noticed before.

9vicman · Futures qualifying

Beijing has had performance byes in the past for semifinalists in Wuhan. It's when tournaments are very close back-to-back.