Victoria Mboko’s Australian Open debut will be one to remember.
The Canadian No. 1 took down No. 14 seed Clara Tauson 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-3 on Thursday to advance to the fourth round of a major for the first time in her career. Mboko improved to 3-1 against Top 20 opponents this season with the victory.
It wasn’t pretty at times for the teen from Burlington. She was broken three-straight times across the second and third set, letting three match points slip during that span. However, Mboko was able to overcome the losses of serve with some aggressive play on return, converting five of 13 break points in the match.
Mboko’s first-seeded test of the event got off to an ideal start just three games in. At 1-1, 15-30, a Tauson double fault handed the Canadian two break opportunities as she converted on the second attempt, consolidating the break with a hold to lead 3-1.
However, the early momentum later shifted the way of the Dane. At 2-4, the world No. 14 won 12 of the next 13 points to then put the pressure on Mboko to serve to extend the set.
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The Burlingtonian held the rest of the way as she found her rhythm again ahead of the tiebreak. Mboko earned the mini-break before unleashing an unreturned serve, visibly fired up heading into the changeover 4-2 in front. Tauson managed to level at 5-5 but the Canuck got the better of the Dane in a lengthy rally and held set point, where she clinched the opener with her 11th winner.
In the second, it was Mboko who had to erase an early deficit on this occasion. Tauson opened the set with a break and hold as she led 2-0, but the Canadian strung together a winning run of three-straight games.
At 4-3, Mboko soon had a place in round four within her sights. The world No. 16 broke to serve for the match, but a resilient Tauson returned the favour, then saved three match points on serve in the tenth game to stay alive in the match at 5-5.
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The Dane’s crucial late push continued, forcing another loss of serve before turning 6-5, 15-40, into the set.
After both players traded breaks to begin the third, Mboko avoided a fourth consecutive loss of serve in the third game, saving a break opportunity to lead 2-1. In the ensuing game, the 19-year-old held her 13th break point of the day, but the number proved to be lucky this instance as she took a 3-1 advantage.
Mboko tacked on a comfortable hold for 4-1, ending a string of nine-straight games that featured at least one break point. The Canuck found her strong form from the opening minutes of the contest to wrap up the match on serve in the ninth game. At 5-3, 30-all, Mboko’s backhand clipped the line, and didn’t pass up her next match point, sealing the near two-and-a-half hour battle.
Mboko’s match finished just minutes before Aryna Sabalenka’s, and the Canadian teen will meet the world No. 1 for the first time on Saturday in the last 16.
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Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
