Mboko Reaches Adelaide Final

Canada’s Victoria Mboko secured her place in the final of the Adelaide International on Friday by defeating Australia’s Kimberly Birrell in straight sets.

The world No. 17 cruised to a commanding 6-2, 6-1 win in just 59 minutes during the semifinal of this Australian Open warm-up event.

The 19-year-old, who earned the Women’s Tennis Association’s Newcomer of the Year award in 2025, took control early by winning nine consecutive games.

Mboko fired 24 winners in the match, compared to Birrell’s seven, sealing the victory with a forehand down the line on her second match point.

“It’s great to finish quicker today since my previous matches were longer. I was happy to play more aggressively,” Mboko said after the match.

She will face either world No. 8 Mirra Andreeva or No. 23 Diana Shnaider in Saturday’s final, just before the 2026 Australian Open begins on Sunday.

A win would mark Mboko’s third title in less than six months, following her breakthrough singles triumph at the Canadian Open in August and her victory at the Hong Kong Tennis Open last November.

Meanwhile, Birrell is set to face fellow Australian Maddison Inglis in the first round of the Australian Open.