Victoria Mboko is making serious noise in Doha - and if her latest performance is any indication, the Canadian teen might just be dialing up another deep WTA 1000 run in 2026.
In a gritty, rollercoaster quarterfinal at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, Mboko took down second seed and reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. It’s the kind of win that doesn’t just turn heads - it cements her as a legitimate threat on the biggest stages. This marks her second career WTA 1000 semifinal, and there’s a bit of déjà vu here: Mboko also beat Rybakina last summer in the Montreal semis en route to the National Bank Open title.
From the jump, Mboko made it clear she wasn’t just happy to be on court with one of the game’s most dangerous players - she came to compete. After holding serve with ease in the opening game, she immediately applied pressure in Rybakina’s first service game. On her third break point, Mboko chased down a wide ball and ripped a running passing shot that screamed confidence, grabbing the early 2-0 lead.
But Rybakina didn’t stay quiet for long. The world No. 3 responded with the kind of power and precision that’s become her trademark, rattling off eight of the next nine points to level the set at 2-all. She then broke again in the seventh game to move ahead 4-3, putting herself in position to close out the opener.
That’s when Mboko showed her toughness. Down 5-4 and facing the set slipping away, she broke back to stay alive.
Then, serving at 5-5 and staring down a 15-40 deficit, the 19-year-old dug in and rattled off six straight points to not only hold but swing the momentum. At 5-6, she applied pressure again and earned a set point - Rybakina blinked first, sending a forehand long and handing Mboko the opening set.
There was a brief concern early in the second when Mboko took a medical timeout for some right elbow discomfort. She had it taped up, but if the elbow was bothering her, she didn’t show it right away. Despite getting broken in the third game, she immediately broke back to level things at 3-3.
Still, Rybakina found her groove again. She broke for 4-3 and this time, when serving at 5-4, she didn’t let the opportunity slip. The Kazakhstani closed out the set cleanly, sending the match to a deciding third.
Now here’s where Mboko’s resilience really shined. She came out sharp on serve in the final set, winning eight of her first nine service points and holding confidently.
But at 2-2, she faced her first real test. Rybakina earned a break and looked poised to take control.
Instead, Mboko flipped the script.
Down a break and needing something special, she elevated her return game, breaking back in the eighth game to level at 4-4. Then, with the match hanging in the balance, she stepped up again.
At 5-4, she earned triple match point on Rybakina’s serve. The Aussie Open champ fought off all three with clutch shot-making, but Mboko stayed locked in, winning the next two points at deuce to close the door.
That’s six three-set wins already this season for Mboko - the most on tour. And it’s not just the quantity that stands out, but the quality. She’s showing she can go the distance against top-tier opponents and still have enough left in the tank to finish strong.
Now, with Rybakina out of the way, Mboko is the highest-ranked player left in the draw. Standing between her and a shot at the title is Jelena Ostapenko, who’s been known to bring her own brand of chaos to the court. They’ll square off Friday morning in what promises to be another high-stakes battle.
But one thing’s clear: Victoria Mboko isn’t just riding momentum - she’s building something. And if she keeps this up, Doha might just be another chapter in what’s shaping up to be a breakout season.