Fernandez earns all-Canadian semifinal in Hong Kong
Leylah Fernandez grinds out a victory over Sorana Cirstea to reach the Hong Kong semifinals for the third straight year, setting the stage for a tense clash with compatriot Victoria Mboko amid a tournament rife with disruptions.
In the humid haze of quarterfinal Friday at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, a day scarred by withdrawals and retirements finally yielded a complete contest. No. 2 seed Leylah Fernandez outlasted No. 7 seed Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-4 across 1 hour and 44 minutes on the fast hard courts, her baseline tenacity securing a spot in the semifinals. This advance tees up a rare all-Canadian duel against Victoria Mboko, infusing the event’s closing rounds with layers of national anticipation and personal rivalry.
Fernandez channels Osaka lessons
Drawing from their clash two weeks prior in Osaka, where she dominated the opener but stumbled before clinching in three sets, Fernandez prioritized rhythm from the start. She broke late in the first set to grab a 4-3 lead, then swept six of the next seven games, building a commanding 4-0 cushion in the second through sharp crosscourt forehands and inside-out backhands that exploited the surface’s pace. Cirstea’s flat groundstrokes kept her in rallies, but Fernandez’s adjustments—tightening her 1–2 patterns to disrupt the Romanian’s aggression—proved decisive in the humid night air.
Cirstea rallied fiercely, saving two match points while down 5-1 and breaking to reel off three straight games, narrowing the gap to 5-4 and testing Fernandez’s resolve under the season’s mounting pressure. The Canadian steadied her serve, closing with a precise backhand down-the-line winner on her second chance to serve it out. This effort improves her record to 2-0 against Cirstea and marks her third semifinal of 2025, a stage where she has claimed titles the past two times, including her 2023 Hong Kong triumph.
“She always fights and she’s super aggressive, so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Fernandez said. “I was playing really well and then I found a couple mistakes here and there, but she also stepped it up. It was a good match overall, and I’m just glad I got the win.”
Leylah into the semifinal 👏@leylahfernandez reaches the final four in Hong Kong, beating Cirstea 6-4, 6-4.#PHKTO2025 pic.twitter.com/c77k9yMNd4
— wta (@WTA) October 31, 2025
Mboko advances amid tournament chaos
Earlier, the 19-year-old Mboko, Canada’s current No. 1, progressed when No. 8 seed Anna Kalinskaya retired due to illness at 6-1, 3-1, granting her a second career WTA semifinal. Building on back-to-back come-from-behind victories over Talia Gibson and Alexandra Eala, Mboko seized control with aggressive returns and underspin backhands that skidded low on the hard courts, trading early holds before capturing the final five games of the first set. Her flat groundstrokes and net approaches dismantled Kalinskaya’s baseline game, showcasing the mental edge that has defined her breakout 2025 campaign.
The withdrawal echoed the day’s turbulence, with No. 1 seed Belinda Bencic sidelined by a left thigh injury, elevating Cristina Bucsa into the semifinals opposite Maya Joint, who endured a three-set battle against Himeno Sakatsume for her fifth semifinal this year. For ongoing updates, Hong Kong: Scores | Draws | Order of play tracks the shifting landscape. Mboko now hunts a second title to cap the season, her versatile one–two combinations poised to challenge Fernandez’s defensive depth in their long-awaited matchup.
National pride fuels semifinal stakes
This semifinal pits Canada’s top two talents—Mboko leading the rankings, Fernandez nipping at her heels—in their first professional encounter, delayed from Tokyo by draw reshuffles. Beyond a Sunday final berth, the winner gains head-to-head leverage and a shot at year-end glory, with Fernandez eyeing a repeat of her deep-run successes and Mboko aiming to cement her dominance. The hard-court speed amplifies tactical contrasts: Fernandez’s explosive inside-in forehands versus Mboko’s power returns and slice variations, all under lights that heighten the crowd’s fervor for this red-and-white showdown.
Fernandez highlighted the mutual uplift, stating after her win, “Victoria, she’s been playing super well this week. Not just this week, but this whole year. I’m happy I get another chance at the semifinals, and to do it against a compatriot, it feels really good. And it’s good for Canadian tennis.” As fans rally behind both, the duel promises not just strokes and strategy, but a test of the resilience that has carried them through a demanding season, with victory offering a triumphant close on October 31, 2025.
