Victoria Mboko pulls out of Rome tournament with gastrointestinal illness before second-round match

Canadian tennis player Victoria Mboko has withdrawn from the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome because of a gastrointestinal illness.

The 18-year-old, seeded 10th at the tournament, had been due to face Tyra Grant in the second round on Friday after receiving a first-round bye.

Tournament organisers confirmed that Nikola Bartunkova will replace Mboko in the draw and play Grant instead.

Mboko becomes the second top-10 player on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz to pull out of the Rome tournament.

Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova had earlier withdrawn because of a wrist injury.

The Canadian teenager has enjoyed a breakthrough season on the WTA Tour, compiling a 19-7 record so far this year.

Mboko reached the final in Adelaide before advancing to the fourth round of the Australian Open.

She later made her second career WTA 1000 final in Dubai and followed that run with quarter-final appearances at Indian Wells and Miami.

Her clay-court season began in Madrid two weeks ago, where she lost in the opening round to American Caty McNally.

The withdrawal is a setback for one of Canada’s fastest-rising tennis stars as she continues her strong 2026 campaign.