Canada’s Victoria Mboko beats Beatriz Haddad Maia at Adelaide Worldwide
Victoria Mboko is off to a successful begin in her first conventional occasion of 2026.
The Canadian, seeded eighth, rallied to beat Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday within the first spherical of the Adelaide Intnerational.
“It’s by no means straightforward to play her,” Mboko stated after the match towards the world No. 39, per the WTA Tour. “She’s such a gifted participant. It was such a troublesome match for me, so to get via right this moment was … I really feel relieved a bit bit.
“She has plenty of selection in her sport, she’s tremendous aggressive and might hit a really heavy ball. Truthfully, I simply wished to face my floor as a lot as I probably may. She hit some wonderful photographs, too, so I’ve to offer her credit score for that. However on the finish of the day, I simply wished to carry it there as a lot as I may and battle actually onerous each level.”
Mboko, the world No. 17, cut up a pair of singles matches on the United Cup crew occasion final week. The 19-year-old is coming off a breakthrough yr during which she gained her first profession tour-level occasions, together with her dramatic triumph on the Nationwide Financial institution Open Offered by Rogers in Montreal.
Mboko will subsequent face world No. 33 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia on Tuesday on the Australian Open tune-up occasion.
Canada’s Leylah Fernandez faces No. 8 seed Diana Shnaider of Russia within the opening spherical on Tuesday.
On the boys’s facet, Canada’s Gabriel Diallo faces qualifier Andrea Vavassori of Italy on Tuesday within the first spherical.
Australian Open qualifying
Marina Stakusic was the one one in every of 4 Canadians to win on Monday within the first spherical of Australian Open qualifying.
The native of Mississauga, Ont., downed Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain 6-3, 6-2.
Canada’s Cadence Brace, Kayla Cross and Alexis Galarneau all misplaced their openers.
Canada’s Liam Draxl and Carson Branstine play first-round qualifying matches Tuesday.
Gamers have to win three qualifying matches to be assured entry into the primary draw of the season’s first Grand Slam, which opens this weekend.
