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Victoria Mboko, the 2025 National Bank Open champion, has signed a multi-year ambassador deal with National Bank of Canada — a partnership rooted in a shared commitment to equity in women's sport. Tied to the bank's Game. Set. Equity. program, launched in 2023 alongside Tennis Canada, the collaboration puts Mboko at the centre of a growing national conversation about equal opportunity, representation, and the future of Canadian tennis.

Victoria Mboko's victory at the 2025 National Bank Open was already a defining moment — a young Canadian talent claiming one of the country's most prestigious tennis titles. Now, she's stepping into an even wider spotlight. National Bank of Canada has announced a multi-year partnership with Mboko, naming her as its official tennis ambassador in a collaboration that puts equity and visibility for women's sport squarely at the forefront.

The announcement, made in February 2026, ties directly into the bank's ongoing Game. Set. Equity. program, a landmark initiative developed in collaboration with Tennis Canada and launched in 2023. For Mboko, whose journey through the sport has been shaped by determination and competitive excellence, the partnership carries both symbolic and practical weight. She becomes the public face of a movement working to close persistent gaps in recognition, resources, and reward that women athletes have long navigated.

"I am so honoured to partner with National Bank, an organization that's truly committed to equity and tennis development in Canada," Mboko said. "This partnership is a way for me to reach out and inspire young athletes who dream of making their way into our sport."

What Game. Set. Equity. is actually doing

For those unfamiliar with the initiative, Game. Set. Equity. is best understood as a structural commitment rather than a one-time campaign. Its goals span the full range of Canada's tennis ecosystem — from recreational programs for girls to the professional prize money offered at major tournaments. The strategy is ambitious and, notably, it's already producing results.

Several concrete advances have been made since the program launched:

• Prize money parity is within reach: In 2026, the prize gap between men and women at the National Bank Open will narrow to 21%, with full parity set for 2027.
• Significant community investment: Close to $300,000 has been directed into the initiative since 2023. In 2025 alone, 28 organizations across Canada received funding to encourage girls and women to participate and advance in the sport.
• Participation is growing: Women's involvement in tennis now sits at 46%, up substantially from 29.2% in 2021, according to the ITF 2024 Global Tennis Report.

These figures tell a meaningful story. The shift in participation rates over just a few years reflects what targeted investment and institutional commitment can achieve when applied consistently.

A story that resonates far wider than tennis

Lucie Blanchet, strategic advisor to senior management at National Bank, framed the collaboration clearly: "National Bank is excited to partner with Victoria Mboko, an athlete whose talent and determination perfectly embody the future of Canadian tennis. For the Bank, this partnership ties in with our commitment to advance women's sport and equity in tennis, while shining a light on her inspiring journey."

That language — "inspiring journey" — points to something important. Mboko's profile as a young Black Canadian woman in professional tennis carries cultural resonance that goes beyond rankings and trophies. Representation in elite sport matters, and visibility at the level she now occupies sends a signal to the next generation about who belongs on the court, in the boardroom, and in the conversation.

Representation in elite sport matters, and Mboko's visibility at this level sends a clear signal about who belongs on the court, in the conversation, and at the top of the game. Canadian tennis has rarely centred a personality quite like hers in its mainstream narrative.

The road to 2027 and beyond

The path to equal prize money at the National Bank Open is now clearly mapped. By 2027, the tournament will achieve full parity — a goal that, just a few years ago, may have seemed aspirational. With Mboko now serving as ambassador, the program gains both credibility and a compelling human narrative to rally around.

Her role will extend beyond ceremonial appearances. As National Bank describes it, Mboko will actively promote the bank's tennis initiatives and engage with the next generation of players coming through the system — younger athletes who will grow up in a sport that, thanks to sustained institutional effort, looks meaningfully different from what it once was.

The bigger picture for women's sport in Canada

The Mboko-National Bank partnership arrives in a broader moment for women's athletics in Canada, where conversations about equitable investment, media coverage, and institutional support have gained considerable momentum. Programs like Game. Set. Equity. represent the kind of sustained structural commitment that advocates in women's sport have long called for — policies built to last rather than optics built for a press cycle.

Mboko stands at the intersection of athletic achievement and social progress, and that dual significance is precisely what makes this partnership worth watching. As the prize money gap narrows and the program continues to invest in grassroots organizations across the country, the legacy being built extends well beyond any single tournament win. It's a vision of sport where the playing field — financial, competitive, and cultural — is genuinely level. Victoria Mboko, the 2025 National Bank Open champion, is now one of its most visible champions.