Victoria Mboko emerged victorious in a thrilling all-Canadian semifinal clash at the Hong Kong Tennis Open, defeating Leylah Fernandez with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to secure her spot in the WTA final for the second time this season.
The 19-year-old Mboko displayed resilience after a challenging first set, improving her first-serve effectiveness 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 playstyle, which initially disrupted her rhythm. However, she commended her opponent’s skills and focused on staying competitive throughout the match, gradually gaining confidence and becoming more assertive in her shot-making.
In the upcoming final, the Toronto native will square off against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, who secured a convincing victory over Maya Joint in straight sets (6-3, 6-1) in the semifinals. Mboko and Bucsa have met once before, with Mboko claiming a 6-3, 6-2 win in their previous encounter during the clay courts qualifying round in Rome earlier this year.
