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, securing a spot in her second WTA final of the season after a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback win.
The 19-year-old Mboko displayed resilience after a challenging first set, improving her first-serve accuracy to dominate the latter stages of the match against her 23-year-old opponent from Laval, Quebec. Reflecting on her performance, Mboko acknowledged Fernandez’s strong and aggressive play, which initially disrupted her rhythm. However, she managed to regain confidence and aggressiveness in her game as the match progressed.
In the upcoming final, the Toronto native will square off against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, who secured a convincing straight-sets victory (6-3, 6-1) over Maya Joint in the semifinals. Mboko previously defeated Bucsa 6-3, 6-2 in their sole encounter during the first qualifying round on the clay courts in Rome earlier this year.