Victoria Mboko has emerged as the tournament’s standout story in Montreal this year. At just 18, the Canadian boasts a remarkable 50-9 record this season across all events, capped by a decisive victory over Coco Gauff in just over an hour on Saturday. The vibrant home crowd has been a clear boon for Mboko, who acknowledged, “I just used the crowd to my advantage as much as I could. I think it helped me tremendously, especially in the last game, since they were so encouraging me. It was just amazing.”

Opposing her is Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, 22, who has quietly climbed the ranks from No. 73 to No. 51 in recent months. She has demonstrated resilience and skill, notably reaching her first major fourth round at Wimbledon and overcoming three three-set battles in Montreal.

Both competitors are aggressive baseliners with solid forehands and two-handed backhands, expected to engage in physically demanding exchanges. Mboko’s height advantage at 5-foot-10 may offer an edge in serving, while Bouzas Maneiro’s mobility will be key to countering the Canadian’s power.

Bouzas Maneiro remarked on Mboko’s game, “She’s put in a lot of power in her game. I need to be there every point. It’s local. I know that she’s going to have all the support, but I’m ready for that.”

While Mboko faces the challenge of maintaining her momentum without a lapse in focus, Bouzas Maneiro could serve as a stern test. Ultimately, the home favorite’s confidence and crowd support are expected to carry her through this pivotal encounter.

In a significant upset at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Clara Tauson of Denmark defeated second-seeded Iga Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion from Poland, 7-6 (1), 6-3. Tauson, standing at six feet and seeded 16th, avenged her earlier defeat to Swiatek at Wimbledon, ending the latter’s nine-match winning streak on hard courts. This victory secures Tauson a spot in the quarterfinals, where she will face sixth-seeded Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion, in a match scheduled for Tuesday.

Tauson’s impressive form this year includes winning her only tour title in New Zealand back in January, where she bested Naomi Osaka, another quarterfinalist in Montreal. Madison Keys advanced to the quarterfinals after a resilient performance against 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova of Czechia, winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 under windy conditions.

Naomi Osaka also progressed smoothly, dispatching Anastasija Sevastova with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 victory in just 49 minutes — her second-fastest win in her career. The quick pace of her win highlights Osaka’s excellent form heading deeper into the tournament. Tauson’s win marks a notable moment in the tournament, underscoring the competitive depth present at this 500-level WTA event.

Naomi Osaka delivered a commanding performance at the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montreal, advancing to the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time this season. Osaka dismantled Anastasija Sevastova in just 49 minutes with a lopsided 6-1, 6-0 victory. This marks Osaka’s second career quarterfinal appearance in Canada, matching her best result at this level since 2019 when she fell to Serena Williams.

Coming back from maternity leave following the birth of her daughter in 2022, Osaka had only once before reached a WTA 1000 quarterfinal—last winter at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open in Doha. This win also extends her winning streak to 4-0 under new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, whom she engaged after parting ways with Patrick Mouratoglou last weekend.

Osaka was nearly flawless, breaking Sevastova’s serve five times out of six opportunities and never relinquishing her own service games. Sevastova, a former world No. 11 now ranked No. 386 due to maternity leave and injury, struggled from the start. Despite earlier successes in the tournament, including an upset of the defending champion Jessica Pegula, Sevastova was unable to maintain that form. She failed to convert break points early on and didn’t record a groundstroke winner until well behind in the match.

Osaka reflected on her performance, stating, “I had a solid plan coming in here, and it just happened to work out pretty well.” This decisive win highlights her growing momentum as she pushes deeper into the tournament draw.