Canadian Tennis Stars Face Early Exits at 2025 French Open
Leylah, Félix, Shapovalov, and Raonic stumble early—but newcomer Victoria Mboko reaches third round in impressive Grand Slam debut.
PARIS — Canada’s biggest names in tennis faced an early exit from the 2025 French Open, with Félix Auger-Aliassime, Leylah Fernandez, Denis Shapovalov, and Milos Raonic all bowing out before the third round. But 18-year-old Victoria Mboko delivered a breakthrough performance, reaching the third round in her first-ever Grand Slam main draw appearance.
🇨🇦 Mboko Shines Bright in Paris
Hailing from Burlington, Ontario, Victoria Mboko emerged as a standout story for Canada in Paris. After powering through the qualifying rounds with wins over Sinja Kraus, Kathinka von Deichmann, and Kaja Juvan, Mboko defeated New Zealand’s Lulu Sun 6-1, 7-6(4) in the first round and followed it up with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Germany’s Eva Lys.
Her dream run ended in the third round with a 6-3, 6-4 loss to world No. 7 Zheng Qinwen, but her composed play and athleticism drew praise from fans and analysts alike. Mboko’s performance is expected to vault her into the WTA Top 100.
🇨🇦 Veterans Falter in Early Rounds
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Félix Auger-Aliassime was ousted in the second round by Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after an error-filled five-set match.
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Leylah Fernandez dropped her opening-round match in straight sets to Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova.
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Denis Shapovalov, making his return to clay, was knocked out in four sets by Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.
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Milos Raonic, in his Grand Slam comeback, fell in the first round to French wildcard Hugo Gaston in a late-night five-set thriller.
🇨🇦 Looking Ahead
While Canada’s top-ranked players fell short, Mboko’s poised and fearless play at Roland Garros has reignited excitement about the next generation of Canadian tennis. Her success on the clay could signal a new chapter for the nation’s fortunes on the Grand Slam stage.
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