MONTREAL – Canadian teenager Victoria Mboco has made her first career WTA Tour semi-finals in a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Spain’s Jessica Bouza Maneiro at the National Bank Open on Monday night.
Two days after banishing No. 1 seed Cocogoff in just 62 minutes, the 18-year-old from Toronto was not disappointed.
Mboko broke at the start and start of the second set after winning the first set back and forth and with errors, but gained a 4-2 advantage in the fourth and sixth games.
Mboko is the first Canadian to reach the semi-finals of the WTA 1000 event since the title Bianca Andreescu was run in 2019. She is also the youngest woman to reach the semi-finals since her 2015 victory in Toronto in 2015.
Mboko faces Elena Rivakina, who led Marta Kostuk 6-1, 2-1 when the Ukrainian was forced to stop playing due to an obvious arm injury.
Kazakhstan’s No. 9 seed Rivakina has converted three of his 10 breakpoint chances in the quarterfinals at IGA Stadium. The players shook hands at the 54-minute mark before leaving the courthouse, seeded in the 24th century shed tears.
After the third game, Kostu’s trainer wrapped her forearms in medical tape.
In a breakthrough year, Mboko surged from outside the top 300 to a career-high 85th place. According to WTA Live Rankings, that number is projected to rise to at least 55.
Two years later, Mboko, who had been promised as a junior, opened the season for 22 consecutive games, winning five titles on the low-tier ITF Tour.
She then competed in her first Grand Slam main draw at the French Open, reaching the third round, surprising 25-seeded Magdalena Fleck in the first round at Wimbledon.
And the confusion continues.
In Montreal, Mboko scored goals with No. 79 Kimberly Billerl, No. 39 Sofia Kenin and No. 39 Marie Buzkova and Golf in second place.
Her latest victory pushed her record to 25-8 against high-ranking players and 51-9 in all competitions.
No in other quarterfinals on Tuesday. Six-seeded Madison Keys (the best player left) faces No. 16 Clara Towson, and former No. 1 Naomi Osaka meets No. 10 seed Elina Svitolina.
The tournament final is Thursday.