Victoria Mboko emerged victorious in a thrilling all-Canadian clash during the semifinals of the Hong Kong Tennis Open. She overcame Leylah Fernandez in a hard-fought battle, with a final score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, securing her spot in the WTA final for the second time this season.
The 19-year-old Mboko staged a remarkable comeback after a challenging first set by improving her first-serve accuracy. This adjustment enabled her to dominate the latter part of the match, winning 11 out of the final 14 games against her 23-year-old opponent from Laval, Quebec.
Reflecting on her performance, Mboko acknowledged Fernandez’s strong and aggressive play that initially disrupted her rhythm. However, she maintained her composure and gradually gained confidence in her game, allowing her to showcase more courage and assertiveness in her shots as the match progressed.
In the upcoming final, the Toronto native will square off against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, who secured her spot by defeating Maya Joint in straight sets (6-3, 6-1) in the semifinals. Mboko and Bucsa have crossed paths once before, with Mboko emerging victorious with a score of 6-3, 6-2 in their previous encounter during the first qualifying round on the clay courts in Rome earlier this year.