Less than a day after their gripping showdown in Montreal, Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka have both withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open. Mboko, who claimed her first WTA 1000 title at just 18 years old, cited a left wrist injury sustained during her semifinal match. Osaka, runner-up in the final, opted out due to a change in schedule. Their decisions came swiftly after the conclusion of the Canadian Open, where both players had received performance byes into the second round in Cincinnati.

Injury and Recovery for Mboko

Mboko’s withdrawal was expected following her post-match comments. She revealed that her wrist had swollen after a fall in the semifinals and that she underwent an MRI before the final. Despite winning the title, she emphasized the need to prioritize recovery. “I just want to take care of my wrist a little bit right now,” she said, explaining that the quick turnaround between tournaments made it impractical to compete again so soon.

Osaka’s Strategic Scheduling

Osaka’s decision was less about injury and more about managing her schedule. After playing seven matches in Montreal and reaching her first WTA 1000 final since 2022, she chose to rest and prepare for the upcoming U.S. Open. Her absence from the post-match press conference hinted at the possibility of skipping Cincinnati, which was confirmed the following day.

Implications for the Draw

With both players out, the Cincinnati Open had to adjust its schedule. Four lucky losers from qualifying were added to the main draw to replace Mboko and Osaka. Cristina Bucsa and Yuan Yue stepped in for Mboko, while Solana Sierra and Iva Jovic filled Osaka’s spot. These changes reshaped the early rounds of the tournament, giving new opportunities to rising players.

Looking Ahead to the U.S. Open

Despite their withdrawals, both Mboko and Osaka are expected to compete at the U.S. Open. Mboko’s ranking has surged to No. 24, while Osaka is now No. 25, ensuring both will be seeded in New York. Their performances in Montreal have set the stage for exciting campaigns at the final Grand Slam of the year.

Victoria Mboko in 2025

Now the world no.85 (career-high), Victoria played her last match on the 7^th of August when she defeated world no.49 Naomi Osaka 2-6 6-4 6-1 in the final in Montreal to win her 12^th challenger.

Currently, during this year Mboko owns a 53-9 record. Mboko conquered 6 titles in 2025 in the W35 Le Lamentin, the Bourg, the W75 Rome, the W35 Manchester, the W75 Porto and Montreal. Mboko was the finalist in the Parma.

Naomi Osaka in 2025

At the moment ranked no.49, the Japanese played her last match on the 7^th of August when she was defeated by world no.85 Victoria Mboko 2-6 6-4 6-1 in the final in Montreal (draw).

This year the Japanese has managed to achieve an overall 27-12 match record. Naomi conquered 1 title in the Malo. Naomi was the finalist in Auckland and Montreal.

Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka fought against each other just once. Their head to head is 1-0 for Mboko.