Mboko reveals her biggest pinch-me moment since rise to fame

MIAMI -- Since her incredible run to the title in Montreal last year, and her subsequent rise up the PIF WTA Rankings, Victoria Mboko has experienced a host of pinch-me moments she likely couldn't have dreamed of just a few months prior.

The 19-year-old has quickly become one of the most popular players on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, and with that has come a Rolling Stone cover, a gig at the Chanel Métiers d'Art show, a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and a nice little friendship with rock icon Jon Bon Jovi.

But of all those once-in-a-lifetime experiences, her biggest pinch-me moment was throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Rogers Centre before a Rangers-Blue Jays game last August.

The pitch was as thrilling as it was nerve-racking

"It was pretty big for me," Mboko told wtatennis.com after her 6-2, 6-0 win over Anna Blinkova at the Miami Open on Friday. "I was really nervous doing that because it's a different setting for me. I know I'm still at a sports game, and I should be in my element, but throwing the pitch was actually one of the most nervous moments for me.

"I think I was more nervous for that than playing a tennis match."

Certainly high on her pinch-me list was getting the chance to meet Bon Jovi, which she's done twice now. The first time was at the Chanel Métiers d'Art show in New York this past December. They happened to be sitting next to each other at the high-profile event, and Bon Jovi mentioned that he'd be attending the Miami Open next year -- as he usually does -- and he hoped he'd get a chance to watch Mboko play.

The interaction surprised Mboko, as she assumed that the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer probably didn't know who she was.

Fast forward to this past Wednesday, when the tournament was rained out. Players were milling about in Hard Rock Stadium, passing the time and waiting for schedule announcements, when some of them spotted Bon Jovi mingling.

Mboko wasn't one of those players. It was Bon Jovi who stopped her and said hello, and they shared a sweet moment.

"I was like, 'Oh my God, it's so nice to see you,'" Mboko said. "He was super nice. He said he was watching some of my matches and cheering me on from home. It was really nice of him to do that."

Mboko, seeded 10th, will play World No. 74 Anastasia Zakharova in the third round.