Mboko has a new goal: "We want to focus 100% on the US Open"
Nathalie Tauziat, coach of Victoria Mboko, analyzes the success achieved in Canada and highlights what skills set her apart from the rest.
The name of Victoria Mboko has gained increased media attention after her triumph at the WTA 1000 in Montreal. Some of us had already noticed her some time ago, but it was impossible to imagine a tournament like the one she gifted us in Canada. Just a few weeks shy of turning 19, everyone wonders what the future holds for this new gem of the women's circuit. Will we soon see her in the top 10? Will she win Grand Slams? What does she have that can set her apart from the rest of her opponents? Nathalie Tauziat, former world No. 3 and current coach of the Canadian, shared some insights after this unforgettable week of memories and emotions.
Her greatest virtue
"She believes a lot in herself, she has a lot of power, more than she thinks. She has a great serve; not many players have a good serve, but she really likes to learn, she likes to improve, and that is also important. I don't know exactly what her goal is, but so far, every time she steps onto the court, it's with the intention to win. That is super important."
Where is Victoria Mboko's ceiling?
"It is difficult to answer that question because we are in a complicated period. Now her position will change, starting with her relationships with the other players. In the past, we have seen how some young players lost their priorities after raising their level, so for Vicky, it will be very important to keep her priority on tennis above other external factors. It is vital that she complies with this, as others perhaps did not. You can climb in the rankings, but if you don't keep progressing and working hard, you can also drop very quickly."
Pressure control
"It doesn't really surprise me; she has been super-focused on what she needs to do since the beginning of the season. Today she is getting the results of all that work. I don't know if she is surprised or not, but she is not showing any of it; she is super focused on what she has to do, she just wants to continue, stay very focused on her tasks. Off the court, I see that she still smiles the same, she is the same person, so for now, she is managing well."
A season of upward momentum
"She has won many matches since the beginning of the year, which helps her be strong mentally, giving her a lot of confidence. No one should panic when losing her serve; she knows very well that she is capable of breaking any player's serve, she has shown it in many sets, always returning wonderfully in the next game. I also think it's important for her that when these things happen, she doesn't see us scared. I always tell her, 'It's just one match.' If I show her that I am also panicking, it will be worse for her. I am here to help her; if the whole team remains calm, we can assist her."
Decision to skip Cincinnati
"After Roland Garros, when we defined the schedule up to the US Open, we set some goals. With the way she is playing, we know she is capable of achieving something big in New York. We want to focus 100% on that tournament, arrive well-prepared and injury-free. After Montreal, it was crucial to manage the schedule well, so we are not going to Cincinnati."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mboko tiene un nuevo objetivo: “Queremos centrarnos al 100% en el US Open”