Canadian tennis player Victoria Mboko secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open after a hard-fought 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory against Alexandra Eala from the Philippines on Thursday. Mboko, seeded third in the tournament, showcased her skills with eight aces and successfully breaking Eala’s serve five times, while maintaining a solid 67% first-serve points won.
Hailing from Toronto and only 19 years old, Mboko is set to face off against the sixth seed, Anna Kalinskaya from Russia, in the upcoming quarterfinal match. She joins her compatriot, Leylah Fernandez, in the final eight of the tournament.
In a separate match, Félix Auger-Aliassime, representing Montreal, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters after a thrilling 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Daniel Altmaier from Germany. The ninth-seeded player rebounded after losing the first set, impressively winning 87% of his first-serve points and converting three out of 10 break opportunities. Auger-Aliassime’s performance included seven aces and three double faults in the two-hour 11-minute match.
Auger-Aliassime’s recent success follows his previous intense match against Alexandre Muller, where he clinched a victory with 21 aces. The Canadian player expressed his determination throughout the week, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and strategic decision-making on the court.
Currently ranked ninth in the ATP Race to Turin standings, Auger-Aliassime remains in contention for a spot in the prestigious ATP Finals. His recent win in Paris added 3,395 points to his tally, positioning him 290 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti. Auger-Aliassime’s upcoming quarterfinal match against Valentin Vacherot presents an opportunity to close the points gap further and strengthen his bid for a spot in the season-ending ATP Finals.
Following the Paris Masters, the competition narrows down with limited opportunities for players to improve their standings. With the ATP Finals looming, Auger-Aliassime’s performance in the upcoming matches will significantly impact his chances of securing a coveted spot in the prestigious event.