Canada’s Victoria Mboko and Leylah Fernandez advanced to the second round of the women’s singles draw at the Hong Kong Open. Mboko, seeded third, overcame Australia’s Talia Gibson in a thrilling match, winning 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-4. The 19-year-old player from Toronto, who previously triumphed at the National Bank Open in Montreal, displayed a strong performance with 19 aces and converting four out of five break-point opportunities. She is set to face the winner of the match between Britain’s Katie Boulter and Alexandra Eala from the Philippines.
On the other hand, the second-seeded Fernandez secured an easy victory over Wang Xiyu of China with a score of 6-1, 6-4 in her opening match. The 23-year-old player from Laval, Quebec, will now go up against Germany’s Eva Lys in the next round.
Meanwhile, Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime fought back from a set down to defeat Francisco Comesana from Argentina with a score of 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3 at the Paris Masters tennis tournament. This win kept Auger-Aliassime in contention for a spot in the ATP Finals, as he moved closer to eighth place in the ATP Race To Turin standings. The top eight players qualify for the season-ending event in Italy.
In another match, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo emerged victorious against Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands with a score of 6-3, 6-4, while Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ontario, faced a defeat against Joao Fonseca after a tough battle ending 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Auger-Aliassime, seeded ninth, is scheduled to play against France’s Alexandre Muller in his upcoming match.
Moreover, Valerie Camillo has been announced as the new chair of the WTA Tour and WTA Ventures, taking over from the retiring Steve Simon. Camillo expressed her excitement in leading women’s professional tennis during a crucial period for the sport, emphasizing the significance of upcoming decisions that will shape the future of women’s tennis. Camillo brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles with various sports organizations, including overseeing operations for the Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center, among others.
