Canadian tennis prodigy Victoria Mboko has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open after a thrilling victory against fifth seed Mirra Andreeva. The match concluded with a scoreline of 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5), demonstrating Mboko’s resilience and skill.
In a contest filled with tension, Mboko, the tenth seed at the WTA 1000 hardcourt tournament, faced a match point against her when Andreeva committed a double fault, allowing Mboko to break serve and level the third set at 5-5. She ultimately clinched the win during a tense tiebreaker, capping off the match with a backhand winner after a lengthy rally.
“I feel like I came out with some very clutch shots at the end,” Mboko reflected after her victory. “I think we both were pretty tired when it came to the tiebreak. I was lucky enough to have some good shots in the great moments.”
This match marks the latest encounter in a developing rivalry as both players are now among the top 10 in women’s tennis. They recently squared off in the final of the Adelaide International last month, where Andreeva claimed victory.
During the match, Mboko adapted her strategy to cope with Andreeva’s unique playing style, which includes effective slicing and low shots. “I didn’t really have a specific tactic against her,” Mboko explained. “I just found myself hitting those kinds of shots because that’s all I felt I could do.”
With this victory, Mboko’s record improves to an impressive 11-3 for the season. The 19-year-old from Toronto, following a breakout campaign in 2023, is presently ranked 13th in the world and stands a chance to break into the top-10 if she wins her next match.
In the quarterfinals, Mboko will face the winner of a match between Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan and China’s Zheng Qinwen.
In doubles play, Canadian Gabriela Paz and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani, seeded fifth, secured a solid 6-3, 6-4 win over Czech Marie Bouzkova and Russian Liudmila Samsonova. However, fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez and French player Kristina Mladenovic fell to the fourth-seeded duo of Anna Danilina from Kazakhstan and Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic in a tightly contested match.
As Mboko continues her journey in Qatar, tennis enthusiasts remain hopeful for her potential rise in the rankings, reminiscent of her impressive performance last season.