The Canadian phenomenon Victoria Mboko had no expectations in the U.S. Open debut after a dazzling victory at the National Bank Open.
On Monday, Mboko lost 6-3, 6-2 in a two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejikova on Monday.
It was the first time in her young career that the 18-year-old Mboko won the WTA 1000 victory in Montreal in July, taking the Grand Slam seeds.
However, this was short-lived, as Mboko quickly applied heels to the experienced Krejcikova, losing the serve in the first match.
When Krejcikova ruled her service game, she couldn’t catch a player against the 29-year-old, winning 66% of the service points and 80% of the first assist points in the opening game.
Mboko in the second set was not better as she lost the serve in her first service game again and couldn’t keep up with the rest of the Czech Republic.
Overall, she made 30 uncompulsory mistakes and struggled on the serve, causing 10 double faults to Krekikova’s four events.
Regardless of the seeds – Krejcikova ranks 61st in the world – it’s always a high task for the upcoming 19-year-old Mboko, as Czech players won the Wimbledon championship last year and the 2021 French Open.
This is Mboko’s first game since winning the NBO in July as she skipped the Cincinnati Open.
Mboko kept shaking it, seemingly feeling uncomfortable on her right wrist. When she fell in the semifinals in Montreal, she injured her wrist.
The match paused for a few minutes in the first game of the second game, while Krejcikova, Mboko and officials searched for Krejcikova’s vibration inhibitor in the Czech chairs.
Later on Monday, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo played a men’s first round against Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
– Canadian media files
