The 18-year-old, ranked world No. 85, rallied from a set down to defeat the former world No. 1, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, in front of an electrified home crowd. In doing so, she became only the third Canadian woman in history to win the tournament.
A Battle of Nerves and Breaks
The final was a rollercoaster, featuring 13 service breaks. While Mboko failed to convert a single break point in the first set — and committed 22 unforced errors — she quickly recalibrated her game in the second. From there, the teenager executed an aggressive counterattack, converting eight of nine break points to overwhelm Osaka in the final two sets.
“It’s been an incredible week,” an emotional Mboko said during the trophy presentation. “I also want to thank Naomi for an incredible match. I’ve always looked up to her when I was really little, so it’s always great to play with an amazing player like you.”
The win caps a dream week for Mboko, who earlier eliminated Grand Slam winners Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina, showcasing a maturity and composure far beyond her years.
Rankings Surge for Mboko, Encouraging Signs for Osaka
Mboko’s title run will propel her up the WTA rankings from No. 85 to 34, a significant leap for a player who began the year ranked outside the top 300.
For Osaka, the final marked a return to form after an extended hiatus. The 2021 Australian Open champion has been gradually rebuilding her game following the birth of her daughter, Shai, in July 2023. This was Osaka’s first WTA 1000 final since Miami in 2022 and her best showing since her comeback.
Shelton Outlasts Khachanov in Thrilling Toronto Final
Over in Toronto, the men’s singles final produced a tense three-set duel as American fourth seed Ben Shelton edged past Russia’s Karen Khachanov in a 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 battle. In contrast to the women’s final, the match featured just three breaks of serve, with Shelton’s power and resilience proving decisive in the closing tiebreak.
The victory marked a significant milestone in Shelton’s career, reinforcing his credentials as a rising force in men’s tennis.
All-British Doubles Final Sees Cash and Glasspool Triumph
The men’s doubles final in Toronto saw Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool defeat fellow Brits Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, 6-3, 6-7, 13-11, in a fiercely contested match.
The win marked the duo’s first ATP Masters 1000 title and their sixth trophy of the year. With the result, the Wimbledon champions also became the first pair to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin.
“Qualifying for Turin was one of our big goals in the offseason,” Cash told the ATP website. “To have done it so early is obviously amazing. But we’ve got more things to do before the end of the season, and then we’ll push for that at the end.”
A Week of Breakthroughs and Comebacks
From Mboko’s stunning rise to Osaka’s resilient return and Cash and Glasspool’s milestone victory, the National Bank Open served as a showcase of new faces, redemption arcs, and future champions in the making — a reminder that in tennis, the next big moment is always just one match away.