Victoria Mboko emerged victorious in an all-Canadian clash during the semifinals of the Hong Kong Tennis Open on Saturday. She overcame Leylah Fernandez in a thrilling three-set match (2-6, 6-3, 6-2) to secure a spot in her second WTA final of the season.
The 19-year-old Mboko staged a remarkable comeback after a challenging first set by improving her first-serve efficiency. This adjustment allowed her to dominate the latter part of the match, claiming victory in 11 of the last 14 games against her 23-year-old opponent from Laval, Quebec.
Reflecting on the match, Mboko acknowledged Fernandez’s exceptional performance, describing her opponent’s aggressive play style as a significant challenge to finding her own rhythm. Despite the initial struggle, Mboko maintained her composure, gradually gaining confidence in her game and becoming more assertive with her shots as the match progressed.
In the upcoming final, the Toronto native will go head-to-head 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 scoreline of 6-3, 6-2 in their previous encounter during the first qualifying round on the clay courts in Rome earlier this year.
