China’s Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng advanced to the fourth round of Roland-Garros after a hard-fought 6-3, 6-4 win over Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko on Friday. Zheng, seeded eighth, has yet to drop a set in Paris this year but was pushed to her limits by the 18-year-old qualifier, who was making her Grand Slam main-draw debut.
Mboko, who started the year ranked No. 333, impressed with a run that included three qualifying victories and two main-draw wins—all in straight sets—before facing the world No. Despite the loss, Mboko’s powerful serve and aggressive baseline play drew praise from Zheng, who called her “one of the best players in the future” and highlighted her strength, movement, and potential.
Zheng’s consistency proved decisive, as she converted all four of her break-point chances and won 70 percent of her first-serve points. Mboko, meanwhile, struggled on key points, converting only two of eight break opportunities and double-faulting three times.
With this breakthrough, Mboko is set to enter the WTA’s top 100 for the first time—a major milestone for the Canadian rising star Zheng now moves on to face Liudmila Samsonova in the next round, while tennis fans are left wondering just how far Victoria Mboko can go in the women’s game.
