MONTREAL – Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, and Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko secured their spots in the WTA Canadian Open semifinals with decisive victories on Monday. Rybakina, the No. 9 seed from Kazakhstan, was leading 6-1, 2-1 when Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk retired due to a wrist injury. Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Mboko continued her dream run, defeating Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 to reach her first WTA 1000 semifinal.
Mboko, ranked No. 85, has been the breakout star of the tournament, stunning top seed Coco Gauff earlier in the event. Against Bouzas Maneiro, she rallied to win the final six games, sealing the match in 77 minutes. “I’m so excited to be in the semifinal here,” Mboko told the home crowd. “The support has been unreal.” The victory guarantees her a debut in the top 50 next week—a remarkable rise from No. 333 at the start of the year.
Rybakina, seeking her third WTA title of the season after wins in Rome and Indian Wells, dominated Kostyuk before the Ukrainian’s injury withdrawal. The match was halted after 54 minutes when Kostyuk, visibly emotional, exited the court in tears. Rybakina and Mboko have faced off once before, with the Kazakh winning 6-3, 7-5 last month in Washington. Their semifinal clash will test whether the Canadian teen can continue her Cinderella run or if Rybakina’s experience will prevail.
The tournament has seen major upsets, with seven of the top 10 seeds eliminated before the quarterfinals. Tuesday’s matches feature four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, while Australian Open winner Madison Keys takes on Denmark’s Clara Tauson. With the field wide open, Montreal fans are witnessing an unpredictable and thrilling week of tennis.