Mboko Dominates Bucsa in Hong Kong Final: 2nd Career Title for the Canadian

Victoria Mboko had to dig deep to overcome Cristina Bucsa and win the second title of her career on the main tour in Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, Victoria Mboko and Cristina Bucsa were the last two players standing and were hoping to win the title to finish the season on a high. The 19-year-old Canadian, already a winner of the WTA 1000 in Montreal this year, was the favorite against the Spaniard, who had never before reached a final on the main tour. This match, in any case, lived up to all its promises.

Mboko served for the first set but saw Bucsa fight back. However, it was the Canadian, who had led for most of the set, who managed to gain the upper hand after 1 hour and 2 minutes of play. The world number 21 seemed to be pulling away and cruising towards victory when she led 3-0 in the second set.

But the 27-year-old player didn't give up and even saved two match points before leveling the match at one set apiece after a nail-biting tie-break won 11-9.
But the Canadian quickly got back into the match.

In a controlled deciding set, it was ultimately she who prevailed (7-5, 6-7, 6-2 in 2 hours and 51 minutes). Mboko wins the second title of her career and will break into the top 20 next week, at the 18th spot. As for Bucsa, currently 68th in the WTA rankings, she will reach the 53rd position, the best ranking of her career on the WTA tour.