Canada’s Victoria Mboko and Leylah Fernandez have advanced to the second round of the women’s singles draw at the Hong Kong Open. Mboko, seeded third in the tournament, fought back from a set down to defeat Talia Gibson of Australia 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-4 in nearly two hours on Tuesday. The 19-year-old player from Toronto, who previously won the National Bank Open in Montreal, showcased an impressive performance with 19 aces and converting four out of five break-point opportunities in the match. She is set to face the victor of the match between Britain’s Katie Boulter and Alexandra Eala from the Philippines.
On the other hand, the second-seeded Fernandez had a smooth start in her opening match, securing a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Wang Xiyu from China. The 23-year-old talent from Laval, Que., will now meet Germany’s Eva Lys in the second round.
Meanwhile, Félix Auger-Aliassime from Montreal kept his hopes alive for qualification in the ATP Finals by clinching a first-round win at the Paris Masters tournament. The Canadian player overcame Argentine qualifier Francisco Comesana in a three-set battle of 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3. Additionally, in other first-round encounters, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo triumphed over Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands with a score of 6-3, 6-4, while Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ont., faced a defeat of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 against Joao Fonseca. Notably, this was Fonseca’s second consecutive victory over Shapovalov.
Auger-Aliassime’s recent win brought him within 440 points of the eighth position held by Lorenzo Musetti in the ATP Race To Turin rankings, with the top eight players earning spots in the season-ending event in Italy. Auger-Aliassime, the ninth seed in Paris, will next play against France’s Alexandre Muller.
Moreover, Valerie Camillo has been appointed as the new chair of the WTA Tour and WTA Ventures, effective from next month, succeeding the retiring tour chair Steve Simon. Camillo expressed her honor in leading women’s professional tennis during what she described as a critical period for the sport, emphasizing the importance of forthcoming decisions that will impact players, tournaments, fans, and partners. Camillo brings a wealth of experience, having served in various leadership roles in sports and entertainment organizations such as the Philadelphia Flyers, the Washington Nationals, and the NBA.