Tennis: How to watch Victoria Mboko at the Australian Open 2026 - full schedule

Victoria Mboko went into 2025 with the hope of making the qualifiers of Grand Slams – now she comes into 2026 as one of the brightest prospects in women’s tennis.

Set for her Australian Open debut later this week, the 19-year-old is currently ranked No. 17 in the world after a breakout season saw her clinch two titles.

The first of those came in Montreal in a sensation run on home soil, entering the competition as a wildcard before beating Coco Gauff on the way to glory.

Such an emphatic run resulted in Mboko being named WTA’s Newcomer of the Year, an accolade previously claimed by the likes of Venus and Serena Williams (1997 and 1998), and Aryna Sabalenka (2018).

“Having that title or that platform really comes with a lot of responsibility, so it would be nice to maintain more consistency this year,” she told WTA tennis.

“If you have pressure, then you’re doing something right; you’re a player people want to play and want to beat.

“I think it’s important for me to just stay grounded and keep my head up no matter what.”

Mboko will take on Australia’s Emerson Jones, who is one of eight wildcard entries, in the first round.

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