Canada’s Victoria Mboko and Leylah Fernandez have advanced to the second round of the women’s singles draw at the Hong Kong Open. Mboko, seeded third in the tournament, overcame an initial set deficit to defeat Talia Gibson from Australia with a score of 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-4 in nearly two hours on Tuesday. The 19-year-old player from Toronto, who previously clinched the National Bank Open in Montreal in August, showcased an impressive performance by hitting 19 aces and capitalizing on four out of five break-point opportunities during the match. Mboko is set to face the victor of the first-round encounter between Katie Boulter of Britain and Alexandra Eala from the Philippines.
On the other hand, the second-seeded Fernandez secured a comfortable 6-1, 6-4 victory against Wang Xiyu from China in her opening match. The 23-year-old player from Laval, Quebec, is scheduled to compete against Eva Lys from Germany in the upcoming round.
Meanwhile, Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime stayed in contention for a spot in the ATP Finals by registering a first-round win at the Paris Masters. Auger-Aliassime made a strong comeback after losing the first set to defeat Argentine qualifier Francisco Comesana with a score of 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3. Another Montreal player, Gabriel Diallo, also emerged victorious in the first round, beating Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands with a score of 6-3, 6-4. However, Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ontario, faced a defeat against Joao Fonseca with a score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Auger-Aliassime’s win brought him within 440 points of eighth place in the ATP Race To Turin standings, with the top eight players qualifying for the season-ending event in Italy.
The 25-year-old Auger-Aliassime recently triumphed at an ATP 250 event in Belgium but had to retire from a quarterfinal match in Basel due to a back injury. Seeded ninth in Paris, Auger-Aliassime is set to play against Alexandre Muller from France in the next round. Diallo, who defeated Griekspoor in their previous encounter, is gearing up to face the sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur from Australia.
Shapovalov, despite showcasing nine aces, also committed nine double faults in his match against Fonseca. Fonseca, aged 19, went on to win the tournament in Basel and became the third-youngest player to secure victory in an ATP 500 event. In other tennis news, Valerie Camillo has been appointed as the new chair of the WTA Tour and WTA Ventures, taking over the leadership of women’s professional tennis starting next month. Camillo expressed her excitement and commitment to leading women’s tennis during a crucial period, emphasizing the importance of upcoming decisions that will shape the future of the sport for players, tournaments, fans, and partners. Camillo brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles in sports and entertainment management, including positions with Herschend Family Entertainment, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the NBA.