Victoria Mboko will have a shot at a third-career WTA title before making her Australian Open main-draw debut next week. The Canadian No. 1 clinched her spot into the Adelaide International final thanks to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australian Kimberley Birrell on Thursday.
Mboko has now won her last nine semifinals across WTA and ITF events, failing to eventually hoist the trophy just once.
The Torontonian dictated most of the rallies in the hour-long contest as she finished with 22 winners, more than triple Birrell’s count of seven. It was another strong return performance from Mboko, stringing together four-straight breaks between the end of the first and start of the second, but her delivery was on par, winning 75 per cent of her first-serve points and saving both break points she faced.
Mboko was unable to score a break to begin the match, as she did in her previous wins against Anna Kalinskaya and Madison Keys, but soon the world No. 17 began to pile on the pressure. At 2-2, 15-love, the Canadian won eight of her next ten return points to secure back-to-back breaks and get the chance to serve out the set.
At 5-2, Mboko fired two of her eight aces on the day en route to wrapping up the opener.
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Another dominant receiving run – dropping just two points in as many return games – brought the Torontonian out to a commanding 3-0 lead to begin the second. Birrell nearly gained a lifeline with a break point in the fifth game, but Mboko wasn’t letting the Australian crowd get back into the match, winning six-straight points to then hold the opportunity to clinch her spot into Friday’s final at 1-5, love-40.
The Canuck converted on the second try with a return winner, breaking Birrell for the fifth time on seven break points held in the match.
Mboko secured her first straight-sets victory of the season and awaits the winner of Diana Shnaider and fellow teen sensation Mirra Andreeva in the second semifinal.
Feature Photo: Adelaide International
