Patrick Mouratoglou, one of the most respected coaches in tennis, reflected on the 2025 season and singled out Victoria Mboko as one of the brightest rising stars. The 19-year-old Canadian began the year ranked outside the top 300 but quickly made headlines with a string of ITF victories before breaking through on the WTA Tour. Her crowning moment came at the Canadian Open, where she defeated four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka to claim the title. Mboko later added the Hong Kong Open to her resume, finishing the season ranked 18th in the world.
Mouratoglou was effusive in his praise. “She’s played an incredible season. She was out of top 100. She killed it this year. She won Masters 1000. She had some downs after that because suddenly the pressure became too high. She arrived like a bomb in the tennis world and the WTA world,” he said on Instagram. He added, “The quality of her game, her physical assets, her personality, I mean, she has a whole package and she’s definitely the future of tennis. I can feel that she can do something big for tennis, potentially an icon.”
Fonseca’s rise in men’s tennis
Joao Fonseca also caught Mouratoglou’s attention. The Brazilian teenager entered the season with high expectations and delivered by winning two titles and climbing to a career-high ranking of 24. Despite the pressure from fans and the weight of representing Brazil, Fonseca showed resilience and steady progress.
Mouratoglou noted, “This year, he continued to rise. He had also some ups and downs. He also experiences crazy pressure. You can imagine how much the Brazilian fans are behind him, which is positive, but also a lot of responsibility for such a young guy. If you look at his ranking, year after year, it’s going like a bomb. He’s the future of men’s tennis.” He went further, predicting that Fonseca could soon challenge the sport’s elite. “He’s potentially someone who can, in the next years, probably not next year, but in the next years, compete with Alcaraz and Sinner because he has everything for that,” Mouratoglou stated.
Beyond tennis ability
Mouratoglou emphasized that both Mboko and Fonseca bring more than just talent to the court. Their personalities and the support they inspire from fans make them unique. “And I love both Mboko and Fonseca on and off the court. On the court because of the tennis they play, their potential, their physical assets. They have the full package and of course the mental side. When I say off the court, I mean it’s on the court, but it’s not purely tennis. It’s the ability to bring everyone with them,”
he explained.Fonseca’s popularity is already evident, with Brazilian fans following him passionately around the world. “He already has so many fans. That’s a joke. Wherever he plays, you have an incredible Brazilian crowd. A lot of guys follow him on tour already. We cannot wait to see them at the highest level, but they’re on their way,”
Mouratoglou said.The future of the sport
With Mboko’s rapid rise and Fonseca’s steady climb, Mouratoglou believes both players represent the future of tennis. Their ability to inspire fans and deliver results under pressure sets them apart as potential icons of the next generation.
Victoria Mboko in 2025
Now ranked no.18 (career-high), the Canadian played her last match on the 24th of December when she beat world no.51 Cristina Bucsa 7-5 6-7(9) 6-2 in the final in Hong Kong to win her 2nd career title.
Until now, during this year Mboko has achieved an overall 62-14 win-loss record. Victoria clinched 7 titles in 2025 in the W35 Le Lamentin, the Bourg, the W75 Rome, the W35 Manchester, the W75 Porto, Montreal and Hong Kong. Victoria got to the final in the Parma.
Joao Fonseca in 2025
Currently ranked no.24 (career-high), the Brazilian played his last match on the 29th of October when he capitulated to world no.18 Karen Khachanov 6-1 3-6 6-3 in the 2nd round in Paris (draw).
At the moment, during this season Joao achieved a composed 39-17 win-loss record. The Brazilian has won 4 titles in 2025 in the Canberra Challenger, Buenos Aires, the Phoenix Challenger and Basel.