Victoria Mboko defeated Cristina Bucsa 7-5, 6-7 (9), 6-2 in a marathon final to capture the Hong Kong Tennis Open.
It was the longest tour-level final played in 2025 at two hours and 49 minutes, but the 19-year-old emerged with her second title of the season.
Mboko is now 7-0 in third-and-deciding sets since July, winning three en route to winning the National Bank Open in Montreal and three in Hong Kong.
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The Canadian looked dominant early in the first set, quickly earning herself a pair of set points up 5-2. However, Bucsa was able to fight off both and would eventually even the set 5-5, fending off another set point down 5-4. Mboko would gather herself and close off the first set on her fourth opportunity, breaking Bucsa when the Spaniard slipped mid-rally and fired a forehand into the net.
Mboko once again took a three-game lead in the second set, this time up 3-0. But Bucsa once again fought back, seemingly inspired by a successful challenge, to even the set at 3-3. The two would go back and forth for the rest of the set, exchanging breaks at 5-5 to send the set to a tiebreak. Bucsa would emerge from a long tiebreak, including fighting off Championship Point, to take the set.
"Today I feel like it was such high-quality tennis from Cristina," Mboko said. "Even when she was down in the match, she was able to come back and play some amazing shots. I had to really stay in there with her and try my best to bring out my full power. I want to give huge credit to her.
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"The best thing you can do is just regroup. If I was to dwell on it too much, it would've affected me too much to play well in the third set, so I'm glad I was able to let it go."
Mboko had no problems closing out the match in the final set, breaking Bucsa twice and converting on her fourth championship point to take the match.
She will now enter the WTA top 20 for the first time in her career, jumping from No. 333 after a fantastic rookie season on tour.
Photo Credit: WTA Tour
