ROME — In a dazzling display of skill, Canada’s Victoria Mboko cruised into the second round of qualifying at the prestigious Italian Open WTA 1000 tournament, defeating 17th-seed Cristina Bucsa of Spain with a score of 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.
The 18-year-old sensation from Toronto showcased her powerful game, firing off seven aces on the clay courts of Rome. She skillfully converted five out of ten break point opportunities, completing her victory in just one hour and 14 minutes.
Next up for Mboko is a showdown against ninth seed Kamilla Rakhimova from Russia, who stands in her way of securing a spot in her second career 1000-level main draw. Earlier this year, she made waves by reaching the second round at the Miami Open.
Ranked No. 158 in the world, Mboko boasts an impressive record of 31 wins against just 3 losses this season, primarily competing on the lower-tier ITF World Tour where she has clinched five titles.
In other qualifying matches on Monday, Mississauga’s Marina Stakusic faced a tough challenge, falling 6-4, 6-4 to 10th-seed Emiliana Arango of Colombia.
Both players experienced difficulties holding serve, with Arango converting nine break points compared to Stakusic’s seven.
