Canada’s Victoria Mboko defeated Australia’s Kimberly Birrell in straight sets to secure a spot in the Adelaide International final. Mboko, ranked 17th in the world, displayed dominance in a 6-2, 6-1 victory that lasted 59 minutes during the warm-up event for the Australian Open.
The 19-year-old Mboko, honored as the newcomer of the year by the Women’s Tennis Association in 2025, seized control of the match by winning nine consecutive games. With a forehand down the line on her second match point, Mboko secured her 24th winner compared to Birrell’s seven.
Mboko expressed her satisfaction with her performance, stating, “It feels nice because all my other matches have gone pretty long, but I was glad I could be more aggressive today.” She is set to face either world No. 8 Mirra Andreeva or 23rd-ranked Diana Shnaider in the final before the Australian Open commences, aiming to claim her third title in under six months.
