Canadians can’t seem to escape each other over the past few events.
Last week featured two all-Canadian matchups, one which involved Victoria Mboko who will once again meet a countrywoman in Leylah Annie Fernandez in the Hong Kong Tennis Open semifinal.
Fernandez took down Sorana Cirstea for the second time this month, after the Canadian won in three sets in the Osaka semifinal en route to the title. In the Hong Kong quarter-final, Fernandez needed just two sets to defeat the Romanian as she came away with the 6-4, 6-4 win on Friday.
The Lavalloise was relatively untroubled on her delivery through her opening two service games but was met with her first bit of pressure at 2-3. Fernandez saved two breaks to hold, then turned the pressure to Cirstea at 3-3, 15-40. The Canadian No. 2 converted on the second attempt to lead 4-3.
The remainder of the set was much like the start of it for Fernandez, as she dropped just three points over her next two service games to wrap up the opener in just under 50 minutes.
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To begin the second, the Canadian secured back-to-back breaks before she held to take a commanding 4-0 lead of the set.
At 5-1, Fernandez had the opportunity to break for the fourth time to seal the match, but a resilient Cirstea saved two match points and began to crawl back into the set. The Romanian won eight of the next ten points and was one break away from extending the second at 4-5.
However, Fernandez stayed cool, serving out a love hold to book her spot into her second semifinal of the Asian swing.
Mboko Reaches Third WTA Semifinal After Kalinskaya Retires
Mboko was back in frightening form in her Hong Kong Tennis Open quarter-final on Friday.
The Torontonian cruised to take the opening set in 25 minutes against world No. 35 Anna Kalinskaya. Up a break in the second, match point wasn’t needed for Mboko to book her spot into the semifinal as Kalinskaya pulled out, sending the Canadian No. 1 into the final four, 6-1, 3-1 via retirement.
Mboko was still tested on serve despite taking the match comfortably, having to fend off six break points. The world No. 21 capitalized on her break opportunities though, converting on three of five.
The NBO champion saved break point in her opening service game then, after a pair of holds put her up 2-1, she began to take control of the set, breaking Kalinskaya. Mboko fought off two break points in the fifth game before holding another golden opportunity to force a loss of serve at 4-1, 15-40. The Canadian painted the line with a backhand-return winner to have the chance to serve out the set.
At 5-1, 40-15, another backhand winner sealed the opener for Mboko, the first time the Canuck has won the opening set this tournament.
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In the second, some pressure from Mboko put Kalinskaya on the back foot early on. After already saving break point in the first game, the world No. 35 dropped three-straight points at 1-1, 40-30, to go down a break.
Kalinskaya was in a spot to break back at 1-2, love-40, but Mboko served well, firing two of her nine aces in the match as she managed to hold.
The match ended there as Kalinskaya approached the net and retired down a break in the second set.
Mboko and Fernandez’s all-Canadian clash in the Hong Kong semis will happen on Saturday morning.
Feature Photo: Hong Kong Tennis Open
