WTA Schedule Update | Victoria Mboko the latest young talent set to compete for Abu Dhabi Open glory

Victoria Mboko is looking to continue the imperious form she portrayed last year enroute to rising over 300 places into the top 20. After what she hopes to be a fruitful Australian Open debut, she will compete in the Abu Dhabi Open from January 31 - February 7.

It just shows how far the 19-year-old has come in such a short space of time. At that time earlier this year she was competing in ITF events, albeit winning the majority of them. A year on and she goes into the WTA 500 event as one of the favourites to clinch the title. Her participation may also rely on her results in the Australian Open. The women's final is on January 31, cutting it fine. A deep run in Melbourne could see her turn away from the event in the Middle East, but at the same time it is the perfect tournament to bounce back from if results do not go her way.

She has competed in three Grand Slam events before. The first came in the French Open when after qualifying with flying colours, she defied the odds by defeating Lulu Sun and Eva Lys, all without dropping a set. Her run would come crumbling down to the reigning Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen. A second round exit at Wimbledon showed the progress she was still completing. Her biggest run and title to date came in the famous triumph at the Canadian Open. She got the better of the likes of Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina enroute to a final showdown against Naomi Osaka. She defeated the four-time Grand Slam champion in three sets, firmly placing her name among the best in the WTA on home soil. The Canadian failed to pick up a win in four consecutive tournaments, but after a quarter-final in the Pan Pacific Open, she stormed to glory in the Hong Kong Open, ending her season in flying colours.

This has seen her earn the WTA newcomer of the year award after climbing a stunning 333 spots to finish 18th in the world. However, there is more space still to rise for the talented youngster to rise in the sport, and the Abu Dhabi Open is another good place to do so. “Breaking into the top 20 has been an incredible journey, and I’m really excited to be making my debut in Abu Dhabi," Mboko said in a press release. "I’ve heard amazing things about the tournament, the facilities and the fans, and I’m looking forward to testing myself against such a strong field at the start of the season.”

Tournament director Nigel Gupta at MARI, the event's organiser, was also pleased to see Mboko shortlisted for the event. “The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open has become a platform where fans can see both established champions and future stars up close," he said. "Victoria Mboko’s rise this season has been extraordinary, and her debut adds even more excitement to a field that already includes Belinda Bencic and some of the most exciting young players in the game.”

Fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez will also compete alongside her compatriot. The duo met up in the Hong Kong Open semi-final, with Mboko overcoming the former US Open finalist. Fernandez ended the season well and is looking to continue her rich vein of form. That is the same for Alexandra Eala. She also enjoyed a breakout campaign in the WTA. While it was not to the level of Mboko, she broke countless barriers for the Philippines while going on some memorable runs.

Another touted talent in the form of Clara Tauson is also eyeing up glory in the Middle East. The Dane reached the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last year in an incredible run, losing out to Mirra Andreeva in the final. She will be looking for good preparation going into that event with a lot of points on the line. The youngsters will also have some experience to compete against in the form of Paula Badosa. The former world number two is once again on the comeback trail after constant injury woes prevent her from reaching the same seismic heights she was once perched at. The reigning champion, Belinda Bencic, will be hungry to regain her title. It was the first she won as a mum after a return to the sport, and put her on her way to a fantastic 2025 campaign.