Andy Roddick Reacts to Naomi Osaka’s Omission of Victoria Mboko in Her Post-Match Speech in Montreal

Naomi Osaka fell to Victoria Mboko in the final of the Canadian Open in three sets.

Andy Roddick Reacts to Naomi Osaka’s Omission of Victoria Mboko in Her Post-Match Speech in Montreal

Victoria Mboko, Naomi Osaka, and Andy Roddick (via X/The Tennis Letter/Forbes)

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Naomi Osaka received backlash from fans on social media after she didn’t mention Victoria Mboko during her trophy presentation speech following her loss to the Canadian teenager in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal. Tennis legend Andy Roddick has now come to the defense of the former World No.1.

Osaka and Mboko shocked the tennis world after producing one of the best runs in the Canadian Open history as they reached the final despite being unseeded players. Mboko defeated tournament favorite Elena Rybakina in the semi-final, while Osaka breezed past Clara Tauson to reach the championship match.

The pair then faced each other in the final on Thursday (August 7) and Osaka took the lead after the opening set, but Mboko pulled a shocking comeback to win the match 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, claiming her first title in front of the home fans. Osaka, who looked frustrated gave an awkward handshake to the 18-year-old star at the net.

During their trophy presentation, Osaka was allowed to say a few words. But the Japanese star kept it very brief, thanking the fans and tournament sponsors, while failing to congratulate her opponent. That drew a strong criticism from fans on social media, accusing the former Australian Open winner of being a sore loser.

Amidst the criticism, Andy Roddick believes there was no malicious intent to omit mentioning Mboko during Osaka’s presentation speech. The American tennis icon revealed during his Served Podcast that the World No.25 was not in the best frame of mind to speak after a disappointing loss:

She didn’t really want to expand a lot in the post-match speeches. I see people are saying ‘she should’ve said…’, I don’t know, we’re the only sport that is forced to talk after we lose. Obviously, we’re not our best selves in that situation, and if people are, great, if they’re not, they’re not. I would rather her be friendly with Victoria Mboko all the time than at Grandstand in front of a microphone. I don’t know if either is true, but Naomi [Osaka] is generally well-liked, polite and everyone likes her.

Mboko became the lowest-ranked player (World No.85) to win the Canadian Open women’s singles title. Serena Williams had held the position before after claiming the title in 2011. Also, the Canadian star will climb into the top 50 of the WTA rankings following her triumph in Montreal, which is an extraordinary feat because she began the year as No.333.

Despite the Canadian Open final loss, Naomi Osaka’s comeback journey finally on the right path

Naomi Osaka’s run at the Canadian Open marks the twentieth month since she returned to the tour after having her first child. The Japanese star has struggled on the court and has often been criticized for her lack of faith in her abilities on the court. She has often expressed doubts and disappointment after each loss on the court as well.

Naomi Osaka Canadian Oen 2025
Naomi Osaka (image via National Bank Open)

After the French Open loss to Paula Badosa in the first round, she won just four of her last nine matches before the Canadian Open. At the Wimbledon Championships, she looked to be improving on the court but in the third round fell to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets. She then competed at the Washington Open and lost to Emma Raducanu in the round of 16.

However, the performance that changed former World No.1 was against Liudmila Samsonova in the second round of the Canadian Open. She was down 4-6, 4-5 (15-40) before rallying back into the match and then claimed the third set 6-3. After that, she won four consecutive matches in straight sets.

Nonetheless, she fell to Victoria Mboko in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament in three sets. But, she has proven that she can compete with other top players in the WTA Tour. She’s also set to become a seeded player at the US Open, which will be her first Grand Slam being seeded since the 2022 Australian Open.

Also Read: Aryna Sabalenka Admits She’s Ready to Defend Both Titles At Cincinnati and the US Open After a Mini Break from Tour