Canadian Open: Victoria Mboko Advances to Semifinals

Teenager Victoria Mboko continued her impressive performance at the Canadian Open by defeating Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to reach the semi-finals in Montreal. The 18-year-old Canadian, who had previously beaten Coco Gauff, will now face 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in her first WTA 1000-level semi-final.

Mboko, ranked 85th, expressed her excitement in reaching the semi-final and described her experience in Montreal as unreal. She started the year ranked 333rd and is expected to break into the top 50 in the upcoming rankings update. Mboko had a successful season, including reaching the third round of the French Open and defeating 25th seed Magdalena Frech at Wimbledon.

Mboko's achievement makes her the first Canadian to reach the semi-finals since 2019 and the youngest woman to do so since 2015. In the men's event in Toronto, Alexander Zverev advanced to the semi-finals after defeating defending champion Alexei Popyrin. Zverev, 28, will face Russian Karen Khachanov in his 75th ATP Tour semi-final.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic withdrew from the Cincinnati Open for "non-medical" reasons. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who is recovering from a groin injury, is unlikely to compete before the US Open, which begins on 24 August.