Canada’s Victoria Mboko secured her spot in the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open after a hard-fought 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alexandra Eala from the Philippines on Thursday. The third-seeded Mboko showcased her skills, serving eight aces and breaking Eala five times, while maintaining a solid 67% first-serve point success rate. The 19-year-old player from Toronto is now set to face off against Russia’s sixth-seeded Anna Kalinskaya in the upcoming match.
Mboko joins fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the final eight, with Fernandez, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, advancing with a convincing straight-sets 6-4, 6-1 win over Germany’s Eva Lys on Wednesday. Fernandez is scheduled to meet seventh-seeded Sorana Cirstea from Romania in the next round.
Meanwhile, Félix Auger-Aliassime, hailing from Montreal, progressed to the Paris Masters quarterfinals following a challenging 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Germany’s Daniel Altmaier. The ninth-seeded Montreal native displayed a strong performance, winning 87% of his first-serve points and converting three out of 10 break opportunities. Auger-Aliassime’s powerful play included seven aces and three double faults in the intense two-hour, 11-minute match.
Reflecting on his recent victories, Auger-Aliassime acknowledged the tough competition he faced throughout the week and emphasized the importance of staying composed and focused on making the right decisions in the game. Despite a slow start in the first set, Auger-Aliassime adjusted his gameplay effectively to challenge Altmaier’s serve and level his head-to-head record against the German to 2-2.
As Auger-Aliassime continues his journey in the Race to Turin standings, currently positioned ninth, he remains in contention for a coveted spot in the season-ending ATP Finals. His win in Paris elevated his points to 3,395 in the standings, trailing eighth-place Lorenzo Musetti by 290 points. A victory over Valentin Vacherot in the quarterfinals could bring Auger-Aliassime within striking distance of Musetti, with the potential for a substantial points lead with a tournament win.
The intense competition in the ATP Race to Turin leaves little room for error, with limited opportunities for players to make significant gains before the ATP Finals commence on November 9. Vacherot, ranked World No. 40, continued his impressive form with a decisive 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the Round of 16, extending his remarkable 10-match winning streak at the Masters level. Norrie, coming off a notable win against world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, faced a tough challenge against Vacherot’s consistent performance.
