Published: January 16, 2026 at 3:51 pm
It will be a battle of teenagers for the crown as Russian Mirra Andreeva and Canadian Victoria Mboko fight it out in the final in Adelaide. Mirra Andreeva has enjoyed as strong a start to her career as you could ask for. At just 18, she already owns three WTA Tour titles, one at the 250 level and the two WTA 1000 trophies she won last season.
One milestone still missing from her résumé is a WTA 500 title. That could change soon, as Andreeva defeated friend and doubles partner Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-2 in 1 hour and 23 minutes on Friday to reach the Adelaide final — the fifth final of her career, according to wtatennis.com.
She’ll face fellow teenager Victoria Mboko, who needed less than an hour to defeat local favorite Kimberly Birrell earlier in the day and book her own spot in the final.
The 19-year-old Canadian needed just 59 minutes to end the run of Birrell 6-2, 6-1 and reach the final. After playing three sets in each of her first three matches — including a win over defending champion and reigning Australian Open winner Madison Keys in the final eight — Mboko used her impressive ball-striking to overwhelm Birrell, whom she also defeated on her way to the title in Montreal last summer.
From 2-1 down in the first set, after the Aussie impressively stayed ahead by erasing the match’s first break point, Mboko won nine straight games. She hit 22 winners, including eight aces, to Birrell’s seven and broke serve five times in seven opportunities. She faced just one break point against her serve in the match, when she was already ahead 6-2, 4-1.
The 19-year-old Canadian Mboko needed just 59 minutes to end the run of Birrell 6-2, 6-1 and reach the final
Mboko said that her battle-tested start to the tournament, she first came from a set down to defeat Beatriz Haddad Maia in the first round, and saved match points against Anna Kalinskaya in the second, played her into the form she showed in the match.
“We had a lot of good exchange of rallies,” she said. “I feel like I was able to kind of stay in with her in terms of pace. We had a lot of rallies where we were running a lot and trying to stay neck and neck at the baseline. I think having those kind of rallies and points can help me in other matches when it comes to those points. I think it just gives me a confidence overall,” Mboko said.
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“Vicky, she’s a great player,” Andreeva said in her on-court interview. “She had an amazing season last year and I’ve known her since I was 12 years old. “I think it’s going to be an amazing match. She’s been playing well since the beginning of the year, already. I think I’ve been playing not bad as well, so I think it’s going to be a great match tomorrow and I hope you guys come and support us.”
Andreeva may not have finished off her opponent as quickly as Mboko did, but her performance was equally convincing. The World No. 8 spotted Shnaider a 3-1 lead early in the first set before flipping the match in a marathon game that featured three Andreeva forehand winners, four deuces and four break points. She finally converted on the fourth to get back on serve.
From there, Andreeva reeled off six straight games, including five in a row to close out the opening set. Shnaider briefly halted the run with a hold for 1-1 in the second, and the players traded holds to 3-2 before Andreeva broke to love to erase any lingering suspense.
It was the second of four straight games she won to finish the match, sealing it with yet another improbable get, a theme of her afternoon.
