If Victoria Mboko was not already the preeminent teen sensation on the WTA Tour, it is hard to argue against her after her victory over the other leading candidate for that honour, Mirra Andreeva, on Monday at the Miami Open.
Mboko took down her budding rival (and doubles partner) in three sets to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 event 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-0. It was the third meeting already between the two in 2026, with Mboko winning two of three, including both at WTA 1000 events.
The 19-year-old is the last Canadian left in singles at the Miami Open after Félix Auger-Aliassime was upset earlier on Monday.
It was a brilliant serving day from Mboko, who put 69 per cent of her first serves in play and won 80 per cent of those points. She saved three of the four break points she faced in the match, while converting three of her nine opportunities.
Apart from each woman’s third service game of the opening set, where Mboko had to save one break point and Andreeva had to save two, the teens were largely able to stay out of trouble on their own delivery. The pair were exchanging body blows from the baseline in a set full of hard-hitting rallies, but the servers were largely coming out on top.
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In the breaker, twice Mboko moved ahead by a minibreak only for Andreeva to reel her back in. At 5-4 on Andreeva’s serve, the world No. 7 drilled a shot into the net to give Mboko a set point and this time, the Canadian did not let her opponent back in it, carving a drop shot that Andreeva could not get back in play to seal the first set.
The second set was similar to the first, with both women defending their serve without too much trouble. Mboko had two chances to break from 15-40 up in the seventh game but could not convert. Serving to stay in it at 5-4, the Canadian seemed like she was going to hold comfortable when she led 40-15, but Andreeva fought back to deuce. Some big hitting from the two-time WTA 1000 champion gave her a set point seemingly out of nowhere and Mboko netted a backhand to send the match to a deciding set.
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Having not broken Andreeva all day, Mboko brought the intensity to start the decider. The Canadian had a couple of break points in the opening game and on the second, Andreeva sent a backhand wide to drop serve for the first time in the match. Consolidating was a challenge, as Mboko quickly fell behind 15-40 in the next game. But she dug in and found some impressive hitting to erase the threat and hold for 2-0.
Andreeva had started receiving treatment on her back midway through the second set, which may have been affecting her serve, which had been rock solid all day. Mboko had no trouble getting into her opponent’s service games in the decider, keeping Andreeva under constant pressure. The Canadian had her own look at 15-40 in the third game and on the second break point, flicked up a lob that was too much for her opponent to handle to make it a double break lead.
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Even up two breaks, Mboko kept her foot on the gas. She added another in the fifth game and then closed out the match with a routine hold, finishing off the victory with a winner.
Mboko has now reached the quarter-finals or better at every WTA 1000 event she has played in 2026. In order to reach her second semifinal of the season at this level, she will have to avenge her loss in the Doha final last month against Karolina Muchova.
Auger-Aliassime Falls Short of Comeback in Miami Round Three
Félix Auger-Aliassime’s time at the Miami Open presented by Itaú came to an end Monday as the Canadian No. 1 was eliminated by Frenchman Terence Atmane in the third round by a scoreline of 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Auger-Aliassime won the winners battle with 26 compared to his opponent’s 12, but Atmane ruled most rallies with his powerful forehand, leading to 30 forced errors from the Canadian. It was the first-ever meeting between the two, with their nations set to meet in the Davis Cup Qualifiers second round in September.
The Montrealer’s first delivery was virtually unplayable through his opening two service games. The world No. 8 didn’t concede a single first-serve point over that span, tallying four aces in the process. However, he’d soon be under pressure in the sixth game, facing the match’s first break point at 30-40 from 30-15. Atmane unleashed a forehand to break the Canadian and lead 4-2.
The Frenchman was a perfect 12 for 12 on his first-serve points up until he was serving for the set at 5-3. Auger-Aliassime had some daylight thanks to a strong return winner that brought him to love-30, then the Canuck held the chance to extend the set at 15-40. Atmane managed to save both break points and continued to power his forehands, eventually leading to the conclusion of the opener.
Auger-Aliassime turned things around early to start the second, though. The Montrealer won the set’s opening six rallies before gaining double break point again. The 25-year-old converted on the first try to take a 2-0 advantage.
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This time, it was Auger-Aliassime’s forehand that was bossing the set. The Canadian held two more break points at 0-3, 15-40, highlighted by a forehand on the run that narrowly clipped the line. The US Open semifinalist secured his second consecutive break, coupling it with a hold to go 5-0 in front.
At 5-1, 15-all, Auger-Aliassime served out three aces on the fly to force a decisive set.
Both players played through a tight first game, lasting nearly 15 minutes before Atmane came out with the hold, saving a break point in the process.
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At 2-3, 40-all, crucial errors from Auger-Aliassime put him on the verge of elimination. The Canadian committed one of his four double faults on the day then, on break point, he hit his overhead wide. Atmane served well in the ensuing game to sit one-game away from round four.
The French No. 6 served for the match at 5-3, where Auger-Aliassime couldn’t keep Atmane off his solid forehand, leading to a spot in the round of 16 for the world No. 53.
Feature Photo: Sarah-Jade Champagne
