The conclusion of the WTA 250 tournaments in Hong Kong, Chennai, and Jiujiang on Sunday provided fans with exhilarating matches and remarkable outcomes. Victoria Mboko, Janice Tjen, and Anna Blinkova emerged as champions in their respective events, marking significant milestones in their careers.
In Hong Kong, 19-year-old Victoria Mboko captured her second title by defeating Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in a thrilling final that spanned nearly three hours. The match, lasting 2 hours and 49 minutes, saw Mboko showcasing her resilience and determination, overcoming Bucsa with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-7(9), 6-2. The match was notable for being the longest championship match of 2025 and displayed the high-level tennis from both competitors.
After the match, Mboko acknowledged the challenge posed by Bucsa, expressing admiration for her opponent’s ability to push through tough moments. “Today, I feel like it was such high-quality tennis from Cristina. I had to stay in there and bring out my full power,” Mboko said. Despite a tense second set where Bucsa forced a tiebreak and claimed the set, Mboko quickly regrouped in the third, maintaining her composure to secure the title. Her performance in Hong Kong further solidified her place as a rising star on the WTA circuit, with a remarkable record of 60-14 for the season, including an impressive 7-0 in deciding sets since July.
Meanwhile, in Chennai, Janice Tjen made history by becoming the first Indonesian woman since 2002 to claim a WTA singles title. The 23-year-old overcame Kimberly Birrell of Australia, winning 6-4, 6-3 in just over two hours. This victory adds to Tjen’s accomplishments, following her earlier success at the Jinan Open and her doubles title at the Suzhou Open. Tjen, ranked No. 82 in the world, demonstrated her prowess on the court, breaking Birrell’s serve early in both sets to secure her first singles title on the Tour.
In Jiujiang, Anna Blinkova triumphed over 17-year-old wild card Lilli Tagger, winning 6-3, 6-3. The Russian player not only excelled on the court but also connected with the local audience by addressing them in both English and Mandarin, showcasing her dedication to cultural integration. This win marked Blinkova’s second career title and represented a significant achievement following her commitment to learning Mandarin since 2018. Throughout the tournament, Blinkova remained consistent and dominant, not dropping a set en route to her victory.
In the doubles draw, the all-Chinese team of Jiang Xinyu and Wang Yafan claimed the title in Hong Kong, securing their first trophy together with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Momoko Kobori and Peangtarn Plipuech. Additionally, in Chennai, Tjen partnered with Aidila Sutjiadi to win the doubles final against Storm Hunter and Monica Niculescu, solidifying a successful week for Indonesian tennis.
These tournaments displayed a mix of emerging talent and seasoned players, with Mboko, Tjen, and Blinkova each making their mark on the WTA scene and hinting at an exciting future for women’s tennis.
