Victoria Mboko emerged victorious in an all-Canadian clash during the semifinals of the Hong Kong Tennis Open on Saturday. She overcame Leylah Fernandez with a 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 allowed her to dominate the latter part of the match, claiming victory in 11 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 that initially disrupted her rhythm. She commended Fernandez for her exceptional tennis skills and shared her strategy of staying competitive and gradually building confidence in her own game to eventually take control and execute her shots effectively.
In the upcoming final, the Toronto native will square off against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, who defeated Maya Joint in straight sets (6-3, 6-1) in another semifinal match on Saturday. Mboko and Bucsa have crossed paths once before, with Mboko securing a 6-3, 6-2 victory in their previous encounter during the first qualifying round on the clay courts in Rome earlier this year.
