Melbourne, Jan 23 (.) Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko continued her impressive run at the 2026 Australian Open, advancing to the fourth round of the women’s singles with a hard-fought three-set victory over Denmark’s Clara Tauson on Friday.
The 19-year-old battled past Tauson 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-3 in a gruelling contest at John Cain Arena to surpass her best-ever performance at a Grand Slam, according to Olympics.com.
Mboko was tested throughout by the 17th seed in a match marked by momentum swings and long baseline exchanges.
Tauson held serve early in the opening set, but Mboko seized control to go up 4-2 before the Dane mounted a strong comeback.
With neither player willing to concede, the set was decided in a tense tiebreak, where Mboko’s composure and shot selection proved decisive.
The second set followed a similar pattern. Tauson struck first with an early break and hold, only for Mboko to claw her way back as errors crept into the Dane’s game.
Facing elimination, Tauson raised her level in the closing stages, dominating key rallies to take the set 7-5 and force a decider.
In the third set, Mboko steadied herself and regained the upper hand, breaking serve at crucial moments and maintaining pressure with consistent depth from the baseline. She closed out the match 6-3 to book her place in the fourth round.
The victory marks Mboko’s deepest run at a major and underlines her rapid rise on the WTA Tour, as she continues to make a strong impression in her debut Australian Open campaign.
. VAN .