(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Naomi Osaka Apologizes to Victoria Mboko After Montreal Final Speech
Naomi Osaka has publicly apologized to 18-year-old rising star Victoria Mboko after her brief post-match speech at the WTA 1000 Montreal final sparked conversation.
In the championship match, Osaka started strong but ultimately fell in three sets. During her on-court remarks, she thanked the tournament organizers and her team but did not specifically congratulate Mboko. This omission drew attention because Osaka had been told earlier in the week that she was Mboko’s tennis idol — a comment the four-time Grand Slam champion had said she deeply appreciated.
After the match, Osaka addressed the matter on Threads:
“Thanks Montreal, it’s been a great run. I also want to say sorry and congratulations to Victoria. You played a great match and have an amazing career ahead! I realize I didn’t congratulate you on the court. Honestly, I was in a daze and wanted to keep my speech short to avoid saying anything I might regret later,” she wrote.
Mboko, for her part, showed grace in her press conference, saying she understood the situation and still admired Osaka.
Had Osaka won, it would have been her first title since the 2021 Australian Open. Earlier this year, she reached the Auckland final but was forced to retire due to injury.
Elena Rybakina’s Coach Stefano Vukov Cleared to Return
Stefano Vukov, coach of Elena Rybakina, has successfully appealed his one-year suspension from the WTA and is now eligible to return to coaching duties.
The suspension followed an investigation into potential conduct violations, but Vukov maintained his innocence and pursued an appeal. After several months, the independent tribunal overturned the ban.
In a statement, the WTA said:
“Any sanctions issued following a breach of safeguarding rules are carefully considered and are subject to appeal before an independent tribunal. Mr. Vukov is eligible to receive credentials at WTA events. We will not be commenting further.”
Rybakina had publicly supported her coach throughout the process, stating she had never been mistreated. With Vukov’s return, the world No. 4 is expected to work with both Vukov and current coach Davide Sanguinetti.
Crowd Celebration for Mboko Interrupts Toronto Final
An unexpected moment stole the spotlight during the Toronto Masters final between Karen Khachanov and Ben Shelton.
Midway through the first set, cheers erupted in the stands — not for the ongoing match — but for Victoria Mboko’s title win over Naomi Osaka in Montreal. The sudden celebration briefly paused play as both players looked on in surprise.
Khachanov eventually took the first set 7-6(5), but Shelton rallied to win the match 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3), claiming his first Masters 1000 title.
Khachanov later noted that such moments are part of the Canadian tennis atmosphere, recalling a similar scene in 2017 when Denis Shapovalov defeated Rafael Nadal.
Ben Shelton Hopes Toronto Win Sparks Future Success
Ben Shelton’s victory in Toronto marks the biggest title of his young career — and he’s hoping it’s just the start.
The 22-year-old American defeated Karen Khachanov in a thrilling final, capturing his first Masters 1000 trophy. While some have compared the milestone to Jannik Sinner’s breakthrough win at the same event two years ago, Shelton prefers to focus on his own path.
“Everyone’s story is different,” Shelton said. “I’ve done things my way, but I hope this week kick-starts the consistency I want in my game.”
With three ATP titles now to his name, Shelton has firmly established himself as one of the sport’s most exciting young talents.
