For the first time since 2019, Karolina Muchova is a champion on the WTA Tour.
The 29-year-old Czech Republic native earned a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Canada’s Victoria Mboko in the Qatar Open final on Saturday in Doha.
Muchova, the tournament’s No. 14 seed, converted three of eight break points to claim her first win in a WTA 1000 event and her second overall — joining the 2019 Korea Open title on her resume.
“It’s been a while since I won a tournament,” Muchova said while receiving her trophy after the match. “So it’s nice to get that feeling again, to be reminded of that victory feeling again.”
Muchova needed 94 minutes to complete the victory as she won 79% of her first serves compared to Mboko’s 57%. Muchova was particularly on point in the first set, when she earned points on 18 of her 21 first serves while allowing Mboko no chances to break her.
Muchova improved her WTA ranking from 19th to 11th with the win.
The 19-year-old Mboko entered the tournament as the No. 10 seed and 13th in the world rankings. She was playing in her first tourney since reaching the Australian Open’s round of 16, where she lost to top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka.
Mboko secured enough points to climb to 10th in the WTA rankings. She knocked off No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia on her way to the finals.
“It’s not the outcome I wanted,” said Mboko, who was competing in her fourth WTA final and second at the 1000 level. “But I think there’s many positives to take away.”
Muchova, who has battled through injuries in recent years, including a February 2024 wrist surgery that caused her to miss ten months, praised her opponent.
“I’d like to congratulate Victoria,” Muchova said on the court after the match. “You’re still a teenager but you play with so much maturity. I’m sure you have many titles ahead of you.”
Mboko was the only seeded player Muchova faced during the tournament as top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland fell in Thursday’s quarterfinals to Greece’s unseeded Maria Sakkari. No. 3 seed Amanda Anisimova retired in the third set of Round 2 on Monday while No. 4 seed Coco Gauff lost in straight sets to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto in Round 2 on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
