Canadian Mboko Rallies to Defeat Fernandez, Reach Hong Kong Open Final

On November 2nd, 2025, 19-year-old Canadian tennis player Victoria Mboko secured her spot in the final of the Hong Kong Tennis Open with a hard-fought victory over compatriot Leylah Fernandez. In a thrilling all-Canadian semifinal clash, Mboko rallied from a set down to defeat the 23-year-old Fernandez 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Fernandez started the match strongly, taking the first set 6-2 with her aggressive and precise play. However, Mboko refused to be deterred, and she gradually found her rhythm in the second set. By improving her first-serve success rate, the Toronto native was able to win 11 of the final 14 games to secure the victory.

"I didn't really have the best start," Mboko admitted after the match. "But I gotta give credit to [Fernandez] - she was playing really great, aggressive tennis, which made it hard for me to find my rhythm. I just started saying to myself, 'she's playing really great so I just wanted to stay in there as much as I could with her and find a way.'"

Mboko's resilience and determination paid off, as she booked her spot in the Hong Kong Open final, where she will face Spain's Cristina Bucsa. The two players have met once before, with Mboko emerging victorious in the first qualifying round on the clay courts in Rome earlier this year.