Elena Rybakina, Wimbledon 2022 champion and Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko qualified for a Canadian WTA semi-finals with triumphs on Monday during the Montreal Hard Court event.
Kazakhstan’s world number 12 in the Kazakhstan Rybakina led 6-1, 2-1 when Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine retired in the second set with a wrist injury.
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Mboko, the shock of the event, sent Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2, taking the last six games to reach his first semi-final WTA 1000 in pursuit of his first trip to a WTA final.
“I am so excited to be in the semi-finals here,” Mboko told the home support crowd. “I want to thank everyone for your support. It was unreal.”
Rybakina won her only previous meeting 6-3, 7-5 last month in the second round in Washington.
The first five seeds and seven of the first 10 seeds were ousted before the quarter -finals, opening the door to arrivals such as Mboko, 18, who eliminated the top Seed Coco Gauff.
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The world number 85 Mboko, which started the year, raised the 333rd in the world, made sure to jump in the top 50 for the first time in his career next week.
Mboko broke the Bouzas Maneiro, 51st, for an advance of 5-3. The Spaniard broke in the ninth game to drop the first set after 43 minutes when Mboko broke again.
Bouzas Maneiro broke out to open the second set, then was held, but Mboko never dropped a match from there, taking the match after 77 minutes when the Spaniard sent a backhand beyond the basic line.
The crowd, which sang “it’s not over” in French after the match, was the best part of the incredible race, said Mboko.
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“I train here (in Canada) and it’s always an excellent opportunity to be here,” said Mboko. “My first time playing in Montreal was a unreal experience and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Rybakina, September at the head, is looking for her third WTA title after Rome and Indian Wells in 2023. She has not reached a final since last year in Miami.
Rybakina broke 24th seed Kostyuk to open the match and led 2-1 when Kostyuk received medical treatment on her right wrist and forearm.
Kostyuk scored a setback to give a break in the fifth game and Rybakina broke again to claim the first set in 37 minutes when Kostyuk sent a hit.
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In the second set, Rybakina held twice before Kostyuk retired after 54 minutes due to his wrist problems, leaving the field in tears.
The quarter -final matches on Tuesday sent the quadruple Grand Chelem champion, Naomi Osaka from Japan, against Elina Svitolina, 10th seeded, and the sixth American seeded, Madison Keys, champion of the Australian Open this year, against the 16th Danish seeded Clara Tauson.
JS / JGC
