Mboko’s Grit Powers Canada Past China in United Cup Opener

In the electric hum of Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena, Victoria Mboko stepped up for Canada’s United Cup debut, her breakout 2025 still fresh in the air. The 19-year-old had surged from outside the top 300 into the top 20, capping the year with five straight wins and a second WTA title in Hong Kong. Facing China’s Lin Zhu, who held a 1-0 edge from their prior meeting, Mboko absorbed an early storm, knowing this team tie carried the weight of national expectations on hard courts that demand unflinching focus.

Zhu claims swift first-set edge

Zhu, at 31, wasted no time, firing crosscourt forehands that stretched Mboko wide and forced hurried replies. She claimed the opening four games, her flat backhands slicing through the Canadian’s tentative setup, and closed the set 6-2 with a net rush that left Mboko scrambling. The Chinese player’s experience turned the surface’s speed into a weapon, pinning her younger opponent deep and exposing any rust from the off-season transition.

Mboko’s initial errors mounted under the pressure, but she quickly scanned for openings, noting Zhu’s tendency to flatten out on returns. As the crowd’s murmurs built, the teenager steadied her footing, preparing to counter with deeper groundstrokes in the next frame.

Mboko rebuilds with tactical fire

Regrouping, Mboko flipped the momentum in the second set, unleashing heavier topspin to push Zhu back and disrupt her rhythm. She took the first four games herself, blending one–two serves with inside-out forehands that drew weaker replies, then leveled the match 6-2 after breaking twice on sharp angles. The hard court’s grip favored her improved depth now, turning Zhu’s aggression into overhit attempts as Mboko’s confidence swelled.

This shift echoed her Hong Kong run, where similar adjustments had fueled that title charge. With Canada now even, the decider loomed as a chance to seize control in Group B, where China had already beaten Belgium.

Decider delivers total dominance

The third set became Mboko’s stage, her slices preempting Zhu’s advances while down-the-line backhands kept the pressure unrelenting. She dropped no games, carving out a 6-0 bagel in a match that lasted 1 hour, 39 minutes, handing Canada a 1-0 lead. This 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 triumph extended her WTA Tour streak to six, a surge that eases the early-season spotlight.

#UnitedCup, welcome to Victoria Mboko 😏😎 pic.twitter.com/gCkBy6kZYb

— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 4, 2026

The arena’s energy peaked with Mboko’s final fist pump, capturing the #UnitedCup vibe on January 4, 2026, as pic.twitter.com/gCkBy6kZYb showed her poised celebration. Check the latest Scores and Standings for United Cup updates, with China’s Zhizhen Zhang now facing Felix Auger-Aliassime to decide the tie. Mboko’s poise under fire signals Canada’s potential to advance from Group B, blending her individual spark with team resolve on these Sydney hard courts.