Field Level Media
14 Feb 2026, 03:25 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images)
No. 10 seed Victoria Mboko delivered six aces while recording a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jelena Ostapenko on Friday to reach the final of the Qatar Open at Doha.
Mboko took down Ostapenko one day after upsetting Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in a quarterfinal match.
The Canadian will face Czech Karolina Muchova in Saturday's title match. The No. 14 seed beat Maria Sakkari of Greece 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in her semifinal match.
Mboko, 19, will be seeking her third career WTA title on Saturday. She also will enter the Top 10 on Monday, regardless of whether she wins (at No. 9) or loses (No. 10) in the championship match.
'It's kind of crazy,' Mboko said afterwards. 'I never expected something to happen so fast for me. I just have been taking it day by day, tournament by tournament. Every tournament I enter, I want to do well. I don't really hold that much expectation of myself. It's not like when I enter a tournament I'm going to say I'm going to win it, but you always want to try your best.
'I think this came relatively fast, but it's a nice feeling. It's nice to see that, to have that milestone, to see that number. So, yeah, I'm pretty happy with that.'
Ostapenko of Latvia started strong by winning the first two games of the match. Mboko then took over and won 11 of the next 12.
Mboko said she will stick to her plan in the title match.
'I don't want to change something up because what I've been doing has been working so far,' Mboko said. 'I just want to rest up the best I can, focus for tomorrow, tomorrow's a new day, and just play my game.'
Muchova, 29, has won just one singles title and that came in Seoul in 2019. The clash with Mboko will be her seventh WTA final.
'It's going to be the first time,' Muchova said of facing Mboko. 'I watch her here and she's playing incredible. I know her since last year, probably all of us, she has this boom. I think she's an incredible, strong athlete. So it's for sure going to be a very tough battle.'
Muchova had four aces against Sakkari, who saved 11 of 17 break points. Sakkari wilted in the final set as Muchova won the first five games en route to closing out the win.
'I tried to play a little more aggressive, I would say,' Muchova said of her third-set strategy. 'I tried to change it up more. I wanted to go more for the returns, go for more lines. I think that it paid off because then we didn't play such long rallies, which I think she's striving at, and I was able to get some faster points on my side.'
Muchova saved 6 of 10 break points against Sakkari.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Chile Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Chile Sun.
More InformationNew Delhi [India], February 17 (ANI): Vice President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday arrived in Delhi for attending the India...
New Delhi [India], February 17 (ANI): Bolivian Vice President Edmand Lara Montano arrived at Delhi Airport on Tuesday. The Vice President...
New Delhi [India], February 17 (ANI): Argentina has identified the current global shift towards artificial intelligence as a pivotal...
Sao Paulo [Brazil], February 17 (ANI): In a landmark moment for Brazilian winter sport, alpine skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen secured...
New Delhi [India], February 17 (ANI): Gabriel Cesar Sanchez Zinny, Chief of Staff of the City of Buenos Aires, on Tuesday expressed...
By Ayushi Agarwal New Delhi [India], February 17 (ANI): Mariano Caucino, Argentine Ambassador to India on Tuesday spoke about the...
New Delhi [India], February 17 (ANI): Air India and the Lufthansa Group recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create...
Tehran [Iran], February 17 (ANI): As high-stakes nuclear negotiations resumed in Geneva on Tuesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah...
Tehran [Iran], February 17 (ANI): As high-stakes nuclear negotiations resumed in Geneva on Tuesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah...
Dubai [UAE], February 17 (ANI): Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal has regained her place as the No.1 T20I bowler in the world by making...
RAS AL KHAIMAH, 17th February, 2026 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah,...
Gilgit [PoGB] February 17 (ANI): Public frustration spilled onto the streets of Gilgit as women and students staged separate protests,...
