Tennis-Teen sensation Mboko closes in on top 10 after beating Rybakina in Qatar

The 19-year-old battled ‌to a 7-5 4-6 6-4 win in Thursday's quarter-final in Doha to snap twice Grand Slam champion Rybakina's nine-match winning run. "Going into the match I knew it ‌was going to be a really hard battle and I wanted to ‌stay calm," said Mboko, who picked up her second victory over Rybakina in four meetings.

Victoria Mboko took a big step towards ​entering the top 10 in ​the WTA rankings for the ‌first ​time after the Canadian teenager stunned Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina in the Qatar Open quarter-finals. The 19-year-old battled ‌to a 7-5 4-6 6-4 win in Thursday's quarter-final in Doha to snap twice Grand Slam champion Rybakina's nine-match winning run.

"Going into the match I knew it ‌was going to be a really hard battle and I wanted to ‌stay calm," said Mboko, who picked up her second victory over Rybakina in four meetings. "I didn't really have that many expectations because she has a great record now, she just won ⁠the Australian ​Open. Going into ⁠the match I knew I had to play my 'A' game.

"I do understand that the higher profile ⁠players you play, you're going to have to raise your level." Mboko started the 2025 ​season ranked outside the top 300 and is now 13th. She became ⁠the youngest player since Serena Williams to beat four major winners in a tournament en route ⁠to ​claiming last year's Canadian Open in Montreal.

Mboko plays former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the Doha semi-finals later on Friday, where a win ⁠will confirm her top 10 debut on Monday. "I'm expecting another hard battle," Mboko said.

"She ⁠knows these courts ⁠well and knows the environment. It'll be important to put up a fight." Karolina Muchova takes on Maria Sakkari in the ‌other last-four ‌match-up.

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