Doha

[jimlosaltos]

Holy prodigy .. Canadian teenager Vicky Mboko burst on the scene last year with an athletic but immature game.

Looks like she's growing my leaps and bounds. Yesterday, she beat Mirra Andreeva {the "other teen" already in the top 10) from down match point.

Today? Took out the hottest player on tour Elena Rybakina 7-5 4-6 6-4 -- again from down a break in the third set. Snaps Elena's 9 match win steak.

2nd WTA 1000 SF
Back-to-back top 10 wins
3rd top 10 win of 2026

[jimlosaltos]

Muchova sent Cinderella packing with her first title in 6 and a half years.
Still great run by the teen. WTA now has two teens in the top 10.
Back to the good old days.

[jimlosaltos]

Sinner stunned by 20 yo Jakub Mensik 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3.
Big serve was surprisingly successful vs Jannik even in slow conditions. Mensik "won 82 per cent (49/60) of points behind his first delivery"

[joeldrucker]

Mensik has a lot of game, so let's see how things continue to go for him.

[jimlosaltos]

To put Sinner losing before the finals in consecutive tournaments in perspective, this excerpt from the ATP:

"It had been a year and a half since Sinner lost before the final at two consecutive tournaments. It last happened in 2024 at Wimbledon and at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Montreal (both quarter-finals).

Sinner is now 138-14 since the start of the 2024 season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, giving him an astonishing 90.8 winning percentage during that period. For context, Novak Djokovic owns the best tour-level winning percentage on record at 83.3 per cent.

Since Sinner lost in the Montreal quarter-finals in 2024, he has played 19 tournaments and made the final in 15 of them, lifting 10 trophies. His five championship-match defeats came against Carlos Alcaraz.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/sinner-doha-2026-thursday-reaction

[stotty]

I saw some highlights. Mensik certainly seemed to be playing well. From the spells he spent at the net, I was reasonably impressed with his volleys too. We desperately need a third player to join the current two-man party.

[jimlosaltos]

I saw some highlights. Mensik certainly seemed to be playing well. From the spells he spent at the net, I was reasonably impressed with his volleys too. We desperately need a third player to join the current two-man party.

Agreed. Sincaraz needs some competition.

Alas, Mensik's "run" as that prospect lasted less than 24 hours before he lost to Arthur Fils. Good match. Mensik's big guy power vs Fils "red line" forehand.

I did not realize that Fils lost the last year of his career to a stress fracture of the back. A shame. That seems to be the trendy new injury for pro players -- Fils, Badosa, Tstisipas? (or was Stef's a muscle). Regardless, hope Fils'comeback lasts. Fils is very exciting to watch.

Speaking of which, the two best matches of the last couple of weeks were on the WTA side { ducking, I know some here will take exception automatically).
But Coco Vs Svitolina, and Anisimova vs Pegula were awesome and, shockingly, examples of variety and full court tennis. Real, tenacious, full court battles.
Very entertaining.

Unlike their Australian Open match, where Coco evaporated, Elina vs Coco was high quality -- and fun. Same result, tho. At 31 yo and a mom, Svitolina is buffer and thinner than I've ever seen her. Takes dedication.

Also, Anisimova vs 18 yo Mirra Andreeva was good.