(Adelaide) Canadian Victoria Mboko saved two match points en route to a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (6) victory over Russian Anna Kalinskaya on Tuesday, giving her a bye to the quarter-finals of the Adelaide tennis tournament.

Mboko, the eighth seed in the last preparatory tournament before the Australian Open, saved a match point at 6-5 in the third set, before saving another in the final tiebreaker, en route to a victory in two hours and 22 minutes against the 33^e world player.

The Canadian thus increased her career record to 2-0 against Kalinskaya, after taking advantage of her retirement from the Hong Kong tournament – ​​which she eventually won – in November 2025.

This result set the table for a quarter-final duel in Adelaide against the winner of the match between the Czech Tereza Valentova, 60^e in the world, and the American Madison Keys, second seed.

The 19-year-old Ontarian had four aces, committed five double faults and converted six of her 14 break points against Kalinskaya. The latter, however, recorded five breaks in nine opportunities.

For her part, Leylah Annie Fernandez, 22^e racket in the world, was eliminated by the Russian Diana Shnaider, 11^e world player, in two sets of 7-5, 6-3.

Fernandez hit two aces, but committed four double faults in his defeat against Shnaider, in 97 minutes of play.

The Quebecer had three break points, but was unable to convert one, unlike the Russian, who broke it twice in eight occasions.

Fernandez did not do badly on his serve, winning 70% of the points contested on his first ball, but his opponent was uncompromising in this facet, with 85% success.

On the men’s side, Quebecer Gabriel Diallo, 41^e in the world, was eliminated in two sets of 6-3 and 7-6 (4) by the Italian Andrea Vavassori, 336^e.

Both players hit five aces and three double faults, but Diallo only won 76% of the points contested on his first serve, unlike 86% for his opponent.

Diallo got a single break point and converted it. Vavassori, for his part, broke Diallo twice on three occasions.

The 24-year-old Montrealer will have the opportunity to redeem himself next week, when the Australian Open gets underway.