Victoria Mboko says it’s ‘pretty nice’ to win Hong Kong title after marathon 3-set thriller
Canadian ends season on high note with victory over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, while China’s Jiang Xinyu and Wang Yafan seal doubles title
Victoria Mboko won the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Sunday, beating Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in a thrilling final that needed three sets and almost three hours to decide the winner.
Despite losing a 20-point tiebreak in a tight second set, the Canadian claimed the second title of her season at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, downing Bucsa in a match where both players pushed each other to the absolute limit on centre court.
The title could have gone to either player, as they shared 25 break points over two hours and 51 minutes, but it was world No 21 Mboko who sank to her knees in celebration, or perhaps exhaustion, winning 7-5, 6-7, 6-2.
“It feels pretty nice to end the season on a win at a tournament,” said Mboko, who embraced her father after the match.
“My dad has always been a big contributor in my tennis since I was very young … so I’ve always been very grateful that he’s able to travel with me and just to be with me at these tournaments, and honestly, to see me playing at the top level, I feel like it makes him happy.”
In the first set, the 27-year-old Bucsa fought off set point when 5-2 down before breaking back to level the set.