Elena Rybakina advances to National Bank Open semis after opponent retires. Toronto’s Victoria Mboko faces Spain’s Bouzas Maneiro in late quarterfinal.
Rybakina Advances After Injury Halts Quarterfinal Match
Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina secured her spot in the semifinals of the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal on Monday, following a sudden mid-match retirement by Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk due to an arm injury.
Kostyuk, trailing 6-1, 2-1 in the quarterfinal at IGA Stadium, withdrew from play after seeking medical attention for her forearm. The ninth-seeded Rybakina had converted 3 of 10 break points by that stage and sealed the 54-minute contest with a respectful handshake as her visibly emotional opponent left the court in tears.
Tournament Setback for Ukraine’s Kostyuk
The match was shaping into a dominant performance by Rybakina before Kostyuk’s injury intervened. During a break after the third game of the second set, trainers wrapped Kostyuk’s right forearm, but the treatment was ultimately ineffective in preventing her withdrawal. Ranked 24th, Kostyuk’s exit marks another early-round departure for one of the event’s top-seeded competitors.
Teen Phenom Mboko Prepares for High-Stakes Matchup
Later Monday evening, all eyes turned to Canada’s rising tennis star Victoria Mboko, who was scheduled to face Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in a highly anticipated quarterfinal. The 18-year-old Toronto native stunned the tennis world on Saturday when she defeated top-seeded Coco Gauff of the United States in straight sets, taking just 62 minutes to finish the match.
Mboko, who began the year outside the WTA top 300 and now ranks 85th, has ignited national excitement with her historic run on home soil.
Tournament Shakes Up as Top Seeds Fall
The 2025 National Bank Open, a key WTA 1000-level tournament, continues through Thursday’s final. Notably, all of the tournament’s top five seeds were eliminated before the quarterfinals, setting the stage for a fresh-faced lineup in the closing rounds. Rybakina’s next opponent will be determined based on the result of Mboko’s match against Bouzas Maneiro.
With new stars emerging and unexpected upsets dominating headlines, the tournament continues to captivate fans across Canada and the tennis world.
© 2025 Mapple News Wire
