Throughout this completely crazy tournament for Victoria Mboko, the new tennis star repeated that “it was going quickly”, and one of her coach, Nathalie Tauziat, will not contradict her.
• Read also: The dream continues for Victoria Mboko
• Read also: “I know what to expect” – Victoria Mboko
• Read also: Victoria Mboko in the semi-finals in Montreal: a checked who is proud to have shown “that she is a fighter”
“But it has the level of play. We had set ourselves the top 100 at the end of the year. She exploded the objectives a bit, “said Tuziat media on Tuesday on the eve of the semi-final between her protégé and the Kazakhe Elena Rybakina, ninth favorite in Montreal.
“Already, she will have to digest what she has done, which will not be obvious,” continued the one who lost in the semi-finals in Montreal in 1990 in the hands of the German Steffi Graf.
Mboko, returned to train in the country in the fall after a stay in Belgium, held 350e world rank at the start of the season. Thanks to her performances in recent months, but especially to her victories at the omnium national banking, where she “plays her best tennis”, Victoria is guaranteed to be in the top 50.
It will thus be the main draw of the United States internationals at the end of the month. No need to go through qualifications.
“I don’t know where Victoria can stop,” said Tauziat, who has already worked with Eugenie Bouchard and Bianca Andreescu.
Ben Pelosse / JD
A danger
As a world year -old world, Tauziat knows the traps to avoid and the dangers that could watch Mboko.
“It’s a danger. There are lots of girls who rose very high, but who afterwards have not managed to keep this stability, this serenity. When we play well, we earn more money, there are more people around, life changes. She must manage to manage well, ”commented the 57 -year -old Frenchwoman, who confirms that the looks are turned to Victoria and that she received invitations to team up.
“Sometimes players lose sight priorities. You can climb quickly, but if you don’t keep improving, you can go down very quickly, “she added.
Victoria Mboko in her match against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Monday.
Ben Pelosse / JD
“We must not ignite”
Even if living so much success in Montreal, “it may not be normal”, it was one of the goals of Ontario, who wanted to focus on Canadian omnium and the US Open this summer.
“We must not forget that she is 18 years old, almost 19 years old [le 26 août]that she is very young. You shouldn’t ignite either. You have to keep your feet on the ground, ”claimed his coach.
Over the past few days, Mboko has learned a lot about itself and the circuit, according to Tauziat. It is not easy to bounce back after having lived so many emotions.
It is not easy either to find yourself on a central in front of a lively crowd. This new audience, which asks for it, does not seem to stress “Vicky”. She feeds on it.
Victoria Mboko signed autographs after her training on Tuesday.
Ben Pelosse / JD
More aggressive
In addition to being calm and attentive, Mboko also improved his tennis. She is more aggressive, she “plays longer”. She also panics, too, noticed Tauziat.
“In his match against [Marie] Bouzkova, she had the humility to return by holding the exchange. What she might not have done a year ago, “analyzed the coach, praising the calm of her player after losing the first round 6-1.
“We told him to hold the exchange before trying a winning blow on the first or the second ball,” she said. She was able to wait for the right ball at the right time. It is perhaps a force of character that he was missing before. ”
Tauziat now crosses her fingers so that Victoria remains healthy. If this is the case, it could bring great moments of emotion to amateurs for a very long time.