By The Canadian Press

Canadian phenom Victoria Mboko set to duel No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at Australian Open

Jan 24, 2026 | 3:00 AM

MELBOURNE — Victoria Mboko will test herself against the world’s best.

The 19-year-old Canadian phenom faces world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open fourth round Saturday in Canada, Sunday in Australia, at Melbourne Park.

Sabalenka is a two-time winner at the Grand Slam tennis tournament, while Mboko, one of the sport’s rising teenage stars, is making her Aussie Open debut.

Mboko advanced to the round of 16 with a 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3 victory over 14th-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark on Friday.

Seeded 17th in the tournament, Mboko approaches a top-10 ranking after beginning last season outside the top 300. She won two WTA titles — including a thrilling win as a wild card at the National Bank Open in Montreal last August — in a breakout 2025 season.

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Mboko and Sabalenka will go head-to-head in a match for the first time.

“I think it’s super cool. I’ve never played a current No. 1 in the world. That’s going to be a very different experience,” Mboko said. “I assume we’d be playing on Rod Laver, as well. I’ve never played on a Grand Slam centre court either. A lot of firsts.

“To be doing that on Sunday is, I think, really cool. Just to show what I got.”

Sabalenka said she’s never spoken with Mboko, nor shared a practice court, but has been impressed with what she’s seen.

“I was watching some matches. Yeah, she’s a great player,” Sabalenka said. “She’s a fighter. She’s playing really good, aggressive tennis.”

“I feel like maybe for me, it would be really tough to handle the success at a young age,” she added. “But I feel like now seeing these girls, so like young age achieving so much, playing such great tennis, being really mature, it’s incredible. I feel like they mature much faster than I did.”

Mboko is the lone Canadian remaining in the singles draw.

— With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2026.

The Canadian Press