Canada’s representatives, Victoria Mboko and Leylah Fernandez, have advanced to the second round of the women’s singles at the Hong Kong Open. Mboko, seeded third in the tournament, fought back from a set down to defeat Talia Gibson from Australia with a score of 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-4 in nearly two hours on Tuesday. The 19-year-old Toronto native, who previously clinched the National Bank Open in Montreal in August, showcased an impressive performance with 19 aces and a conversion of four out of five break-point opportunities. She is set to compete against the victor of the first-round match between Katie Boulter from Britain and Alexandra Eala from the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the second-seeded Fernandez had a smooth start with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Wang Xiyu from China in her opening match. The 23-year-old from Laval, Quebec, will next face Germany’s Eva Lys in the upcoming round.
In a separate event, Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime secured his spot in the second round at the Paris Masters tennis tournament. Auger-Aliassime fought back from a set down to defeat Francisco Comesana from Argentina 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3. The victory keeps his chances alive for qualifying for the ATP Finals as he is now within 440 points of eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti in the ATP Race To Turin standings. The top eight players qualify for the season-ending event in Italy.
Additionally, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo triumphed over Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands with a score of 6-3, 6-4, while Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ontario, faced a defeat of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 against Joao Fonseca. Auger-Aliassime, seeded ninth in Paris, is scheduled to play against France’s Alexandre Muller in the next round.
Moreover, Valerie Camillo has been appointed as the new chair of the WTA Tour and WTA Ventures, effective from next month. She will be taking over the leadership of women’s professional tennis, succeeding the retiring tour chair, Steve Simon. Camillo expressed her honor in leading the world’s top women’s sport at a crucial juncture, emphasizing the significance of upcoming decisions that will shape the future of women’s tennis. Camillo brings a wealth of experience, having served in leadership roles in various sports organizations and entertainment divisions.
