On a day disrupted by withdrawals at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, No. 2 seed Leylah Fernandez delivered a complete performance, defeating No. 7 seed Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-4. The victory, which concluded Friday’s quarterfinal action, sets up an all-Canadian semifinal against compatriot Victoria Mboko.
“Victoria, she’s been playing super well this week,” Fernandez said after the match. “Not just this week, but this whole year. I’m happy I get another chance at the semifinals, and to do it against a compatriot, it feels really good. And it’s good for Canadian tennis.”
Fernandez secured a crucial break late in the first set and carried that momentum forward, winning six of the next seven games to take the opener and build a commanding 4-0 lead in the second. Although Cirstea mounted a late rally, saving two match points and narrowing the gap to 5-4, Fernandez remained composed. She sealed the victory in 1 hour and 44 minutes with a decisive backhand winner on her second opportunity to serve for the match.
“She always fights and she’s super aggressive, so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Fernandez commented. “It was a good match overall, and I’m just glad I got the win.”
The win improves Fernandez’s record to 2-0 against Cirstea and marks her third consecutive semifinal appearance in Hong Kong, a tournament she won in 2023. It is also her third semifinal of 2025; she went on to win the title on the previous two occasions.
Mboko’s path to the semifinal was more straightforward, as she advanced after Anna Kalinskaya retired due to illness while trailing 6-1, 3-1. The result sends the 19-year-old into her second career WTA semifinal.
Kalinskaya’s retirement was one of several on the day. Top seed Belinda Bencic also withdrew from the tournament with a left thigh injury, granting Cristina Bucsa a walkover into the semifinals. Bucsa will face Maya Joint, who outlasted Himeno Sakatsume in a three-set battle.
The other semifinal will be a highly anticipated clash between Canada’s top two players. The match represents their first-ever career meeting, after a scheduled encounter in Tokyo earlier this month was prevented by a draw reshuffle. With a spot in Sunday’s final on the line, the contest will determine not only a tournament finalist but also early bragging rights in their head-to-head rivalry.
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