Mboko receives 'key to the city' in hometown of Burlington, Ontario
From Burlington to the big stage: Victoria Mboko was honored by her home city on Friday for a breakthrough season on the Hologic WTA Tour.
The 19-year-old received a key to Burlington, Ontario for what local officials called an "inspiring" rise in professional tennis. Since 2019, Burlington has presented notable residents with a ceremonial "key to the city" to celebrate achievements, and Mboko received hers after rising more than 300 places in the PIF WTA Rankings and winning two titles -- including a WTA 1000 on home soil -- over the last 12 months.
Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden, an Olympic gold medal-winning sprint kayaker, said that Mboko's fairy-tale run through the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montreal "stole the hearts of Canadians." Entering the tournament as a wild card ranked No. 85, she overcame four former Grand Slam champions -- Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka -- to become the third Canadian champion at the country's championships, and the first to do it in Montreal.
🎉 Proud moment for Vicky Mboko 🔑
— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) November 21, 2025
Today, Burlington’s own Victoria “Vicky” Mboko received the Key to the City in recognition of her incredible rise—from winning the National Bank Open to inspiring young athletes across Canada 🇨🇦
Local leaders praised her determination,… pic.twitter.com/XzEgeOZDZU
“We’ve always had great tennis players in Canada, but ... whether we had watched tennis before or not, everyone was a tennis fan for those weeks," he said.
Angelo Bentivegna, Burlington's deputy mayor for recreation and community services added: "You’ve shown determination, humility and strength beyond your years. While the world sees a champion, we see someone who reflects the heart and spirit of Burlington.”
Mboko was born in Charlotte, North Carolina but relocated to the Toronto area with her family at 2 months old. She and her siblings honed their tennis skills in Burlington under the tutelage of former Canadian Davis Cup captain Pierre Lamarche.
And as she posed for photos with students from a nearby school, and signed a giant tennis ball one brought, Mboko said she already has plans to inspire the next generation of players.
“The community here is so welcoming and friendly,” she said. “We have almost everything we need around here and I have been and continue to be so blessed to live here and have the opportunities my family created for me. It’s something I don’t take lightly and I’ve set out as a goal in the future for myself to help provide and create opportunities for others. To that extent, if I were to ever have one wish, it’d be to have more tennis courts here in Burlington.”