By Shrivathsa Sridhar
MELBOURNE, Jan 23 (Reuters) – Victoria Mboko did not place any expectations on herself coming into her first Australian Open but the Canadian teen ticked off another milestone on Friday by reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
The 19-year-old’s reward for a 7-6(5) 5-7 6-3 win over Clara Tauson at Melbourne Park was a first career meeting against world number one Aryna Sabalenka with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.
Mboko shot into the spotlight when she became the youngest player since Serena Williams to beat four major winners in a tournament en route to claiming last year’s Canadian Open in Montreal and has continued to impress Down Under.
After a run to the Adelaide final, Mboko’s win over 14th-seeded Dane Tauson marks her best result at a Grand Slam.
“I didn’t really expect that. I feel like sometimes I just say things just to say it, just throw it out there,” a beaming Mboko told reporters.
“But no, every tournament I play I always want to do well. It’s my first fourth round in a Grand Slam. It’s my first time playing the Australian Open. This is a really cool experience.
“I didn’t have any expectations on myself since I’d never been here before. But it’s really cool to have played so many matches on stadiums.”
A LOT OF FIRSTS
Born in the United States to parents who fled political unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mboko shifted base to Canada as a child and began hitting balls in Ontario tennis courts aged four.
On Sunday, she will most likely play at the iconic Rod Laver Arena against top seed and favourite Sabalenka.
“I’ve never played a current number one in the world. That’s going to be a different experience,” Mboko said.
“I assume we’d be playing on Rod Laver, as well. I’ve never played on a Grand Slam centre court either. A lot of firsts.
“It’s something not many people get to experience. To be doing that on Sunday is really cool. Just to show what I got.”
Still without a full season on the WTA Tour but already ranked 16th, Mboko said taking on high-quality players helped hone her aggressive ball-striking skills to become more effective on the biggest stages.
Her powerful game was on full display when she reached the third round of Roland Garros last year, which she began ranked 350th in the world.
“A lot more people have more experience than I do so whether you win or lose, learning a lot can come into play,” Mboko said.
“I haven’t had a full season yet on the WTA Tour, but so far having played a lot of matches, it’s helped me adapt. I’m always going to play someone older than me, they’ve been playing longer than I have.
“I think it’s those experiences that get me through.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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