Canada’s Victoria Mboko and Leylah Fernandez have advanced to the second round of the women’s singles draw at the Hong Kong Open. Mboko, seeded third in the tournament, staged a comeback to defeat Talia Gibson of Australia with a score of 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-4 in a match lasting one hour and 48 minutes on Tuesday. The 19-year-old player from Toronto, who previously won the National Bank Open in Montreal, showcased an impressive performance with 19 aces and successfully converting four out of five break-point opportunities. She will now face the victor of the match between Britain’s Katie Boulter and Alexandra Eala from the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the second-seeded Leylah Fernandez secured a comfortable 6-1, 6-4 victory over Wang Xiyu from China in her opening match. The 23-year-old player from Laval, Que., is set to compete against Germany’s Eva Lys in the next round.
In another tennis event, Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime kept his ATP Finals hopes alive with a first-round win at the Paris Masters tournament. Auger-Aliassime fought back from a set down to defeat Argentine qualifier Francisco Comesana with a score of 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3. The victory brought Auger-Aliassime closer to eighth place in the ATP Race To Turin standings, with 440 points separating him from Lorenzo Musetti.
Auger-Aliassime’s compatriot Gabriel Diallo also clinched a win, defeating Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4. However, Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ont., faced a setback as he fell to Joao Fonseca after a closely contested match ending with a score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Auger-Aliassime, seeded ninth, will next play against France’s Alexandre Muller, while Diallo will take on Alex de Minaur from Australia.
Furthermore, Valerie Camillo has been appointed as the new chair of the WTA Tour and WTA Ventures, succeeding Steve Simon. Camillo, known for her extensive experience in sports and entertainment management, expressed her excitement to lead women’s professional tennis during a crucial period for the sport. She emphasized the importance of upcoming decisions that will shape the future of women’s tennis for players, tournaments, fans, and partners.