Victoria Mboko will be absent from the 2026 US Open, ending a difficult stretch for one of Canada’s brightest young tennis stars. The 19-year-old was left off the tournament’s official entry list as she continues to recover from a left knee injury.
She sustained damage to the medial collateral ligament in her left knee after slipping during her second-round singles match against Karolina Pliskova. The setback forced her to miss the rest of the grass-court season.
With the US Open set to begin in New York on August 30, her absence will be another blow after a breakthrough season that saw her reach the Top 10 and establish herself as a major force on the WTA Tour.
When could Victoria Mboko return to the WTA Tour?
Victoria Mboko does not have a confirmed return date, and her next appearance will depend on her recovery from the left knee MCL injury she suffered at Queen’s Club in June.
She has been sidelined since the injury and was forced to miss Wimbledon, the National Bank Open in Toronto, Cincinnati and now the 2026 US Open. The WTA recently listed her as inactive, with her last competitive appearance coming at Queen’s.
Victoria Mboko during the Women’s Singles second round match on Day Three of the HSBC Championships (Source: Paul Harding/Getty Images)
She injured her knee on June 10 when she slipped while chasing down a forehand against Karolina Pliskova. She retired while trailing 6-2, 3-4 and subsequently confirmed that the fall caused an MCL injury.
At the time, she said the injury would keep her out for the remainder of the grass-court season, which immediately ruled out Wimbledon. There was initially some hope that she return for the North American hard-court swing.
However, she later announced that she would also miss the National Bank Open in Toronto, where she was the defending champion. In her statement, she described the setback as disappointing but indicated that she expected to return to competition in the future.
How has Victoria Mboko performed in 2026?
Victoria Mboko has enjoyed a breakthrough 2026 season despite her injury, reaching three WTA finals, making the Australian Open round of 16 and climbing as high as No. 9 in the world. Her results before the knee setback established her as one of the most significant young players on the WTA Tour.
The Canadian made an immediate impact in January by reaching the Adelaide International final, where she lost to Mirra Andreeva. She followed that run with her best Grand Slam result to that point at the Australian Open, advancing to the fourth round before falling to eventual world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. The WTA lists her 2026 Australian Open record at 3-1.
Her momentum continued in Doha. She reached the final of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, her second WTA 1000 final of the season, defeating Jelena Ostapenko in the semifinals.
That run also pushed her into the Top 10 for the first time, making her only the fourth Canadian woman to reach that ranking level. She ultimately lost the final to Karolina Muchova in straight sets.
