Canadian tennis star Victoria Mboko has withdrawn from the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome due to a gastrointestinal illness.
The 18-year-old, seeded 10th at the tournament, was scheduled to face Tyra Grant in the second round on Friday after receiving a bye in the first round.
Tournament organizers 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 withdraw from the tournament in Rome.
Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova had previously withdrawn due to a wrist injury.
The Canadian teenager has had a breakout season on the WTA Tour, posting a 19-7 record so far this year.
Mboko reached the final in Adelaide before progressing to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
She later made her second career WTA 1000 final in Dubai and followed that run with quarterfinals in Indian Wells and Miami.
Her clay season started two weeks ago in Madrid, where she lost in the opening round to the American Caty McNally.
The withdrawal is a setback for one of Canada’s fastest-rising tennis stars as she continues her strong 2026 campaign.
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