In an exhilarating showdown, Victoria Mboko triumphed over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa with a score of 7-5, 6-7 (9), 6-2 to claim victory at the Hong Kong Open on Sunday.
The 19-year-old sensation from Toronto unleashed a powerful performance, serving up nine aces, securing her second WTA title of the season after her impressive win at the National Bank Open in Montreal this August.
With this victory, Mboko now stands at 2-0 against Bucsa, having previously defeated her in straight sets during the Rome qualifiers earlier this year.
“I’ll admit it was tough to lose that second set, but that’s part of the game,” Mboko reflected post-match. “It’s just another point on the championship point, but she was playing incredibly well and hitting some outstanding shots, which I couldn’t control. It’s all part of tennis.”
“The best strategy is to regroup. If I had lingered on it, it would have affected my performance in the third set. So, I’m grateful I managed to shake it off.”
Mboko advanced to the final by overcoming fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez in a thrilling three-set match on Saturday.
After dealing with a wrist injury sustained in Montreal that temporarily hindered her progress this summer, she’s now on her way back to peak form.
Come Monday, she’s expected to break into the WTA top 20 with the latest rankings.
