After Mirra Andreevaâs glorious run in Paris, all eyes were on the WTAâs second-highest-ranked teenager, Victoria Mboko, to make strides during the upcoming tournaments. Mboko, the 2025 Canadian Open champion, was scheduled to contest the Wimbledon Championships for just the second time in 2026, having reached the second-round last year.
Her dreams, however, came crashing down after she slipped mid-match at the Queenâs Club Championships. The 19-year-old retired from her opening singles match against KarolĂna PlĂĆĄkovĂĄ after injuring her knee, and she eventually pulled out of her doubles match with Serena Williams.
Victoria Mbokoâs Injury Ruins Her Wimbledon Dream
According to Wimbledonâs updated entry list, Mboko has now pulled out of the Championships, marking an unfortunate conclusion to her grass-court swing. Presently ranked World No. 9, she was set to be one of the top seeds at the tournament, which begins on June 29.
âOngoing left knee injuryâ was the official reason for her decision, and Czech tennis player Darja Vidmanova received a direct main-draw entry following the Canadianâs withdrawal. Mbokoâs absence is all the more disappointing, as it would have marked her first Wimbledon with Wim Fissette as her coach. Fissette famously coached Iga ĆwiÄ tek to her first title at SW19 last year, ending the Poleâs continued struggle on grass.
A Look at Victoria Mbokoâs Short-Lived Grass Campaign
After an early exit against Madison Keys at the French Open, Mboko resumed her season on the grass courts of Queenâs Club. Her first challenge on the surface was a doubles match with Serena Williams, who made a surprising return to competition after nearly four years. The pair advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-6(2), 6-2 win against Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.
The following day, Mboko opened her singles campaign against PlĂĆĄkovĂĄ. She slipped and injured her knee while trailing 2-6, 4-3 and subsequently retired from the match. The injury also forced her out of her and Williamsâ doubles match against Laura Siegemund and Leylah Fernandez.
The Berlin Tennis Open (June 13-21) was supposed to be Mbokoâs next stop. Her Wimbledon withdrawal, however, means she will not compete at the upcoming WTA 500 event. Williams, on the other hand, has a new partner ahead of her stint in the German capital. She and Czech star KarolĂna MuchovĂĄ have received a doubles wildcard to compete at the event.
MORE: Did Wimbledon Prematurely Drop Serena Williams Hint? All About the Unexpected Move
As for Mboko, she will hope to make a full recovery ahead of the North American hardcourt swing. The teenager is the reigning Canadian Open champion, with 1000 points to defend at the tournament (August 2-13).
O que achou dessa notĂcia? Deixe um comentĂĄrio abaixo e/ou compartilhe em suas redes sociais. Assim conseguiremos informar mais pessoas sobre o que acontece no mundo do tĂȘnis!
Esta notĂcia foi originalmente publicada em:
Fonte original
