Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko will face Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the WTA Hong Kong final. Mboko is gunning for her second Tour-level title and she is set to make her Top 20 debut after the tournament. Bucsa, who will also leave Hong Kong with a new career-high ranking, will be playing in her maiden final. Who will lift the title?
WTA Hong Kong Final Prediction
Victoria Mboko vs Cristina Bucsa
Head-to-head: Mboko 1-0 Bucsa
Victoria Mboko is the sole surviving seed at the Hong Kong Open. The 19-year-old defeated Leylah Fernandez in the all-Canadian semifinal to reach her second WTA final. After dropping the first set 2-6, Mboko rallied to win the next two sets. It’s a result that settles the debate over who will finish the season as Canada’s top-ranked woman. It will be Mboko who is now guaranteed a top 20 debut (currently 18th in the live rankings) regardless of Sunday’s outcome.
Cristina Bucsa, meanwhile, outplayed Australian teenager Maya Joint in the other semifinal. The Spanish counterpuncher recorded an emphatic 6-3 6-1 win to book her spot in the Hong Kong final. Bucsa’s forecourt play was excellent. She fired 20 winners past Joint and is yet to drop a set this week. Bucsa was perhaps fortunate to receive a walkover in the quarterfinal when in-form Belinda Bencic withdrew due to a thigh injury.
Bucsa has certainly earned her spot in Sunday’s final, where she will look to lift her first title, demonstrating her all-court prowess and playing outside her comfort zone to record a trio of straight sets wins. That said, Mboko has recovered from her recent slump that overshadowed her unexpected title win in Montreal. Her run in Hong Kong mirrors the form she displayed in Canada, where she turned near-defeats into hard-fought victories. The third seed’s endurance may yet see her through to a second title.
Prediction: Mboko in 3
Main Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
