Canadian teen Mboko reaches Montreal final, beating Rybakina in 3rd-set tiebreaker

MONTREAL (AP) — Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko rallied to reach the National Bank Open final, beating ninth-seeded Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) on Wednesday night.

The 18-year-old Mboko dropped to the court after Rybakina’s shot sailed long on match point as the crowd — lined with “Allez Vicky” — erupted. Mboko saved a match point in the third set and broke Rybakina twice to force the tiebreaker.

“Incredible match, thank you to everyone for supporting me,” Mboko told the crowd in French. “It was really difficult, but anything can happen.”

On Thursday night, she’ll face Japanese star Naomi Osaka, a 6-2, 7-6 (7) winner over 16th-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark in the second semifinal.

Mboko, ranked 85th in the world, is seeking her first WTA Tour title and trying to join Faye Urban (1969) and Bianca Andreescu (2019) as the only Canadians to win the home event in the open era.

“Playing in front of the home crowd, obviously, has its advantages,” Mboko said. “You always have everyone pumping you up as much as they can. It really pulls me through in the tough moments where I’m maybe not as positive. Really blessed to have that kind of support.”

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Congolese parents, Mboko grew up in Toronto. She upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday to reach the quarterfinals, then topped Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 on Monday. At 2 hours, 46 minutes, the match Wednesday was the longest of Mboko’s short tour career.

From Kazakhstan, Rybakina won at Wimbledon in 2022. She has nine career WTA Tour victories, winning in May on clay at Strasbourg. Rybakina beat Mboko 6-3, 7-5 last month in Washington.

“I knew that she was a tough opponent,” Rybakina said. “She served really well in these important moments. It was a very close match, like a big fight. So it could go any way, but it went hers.”

Mboko overcame 11 double-faults and battled through a wrist injury after stumbling awkwardly to the ground in the second game of the third set. She'll will move up to at least 34th in the world after starting the year outside the top 300.

Mboko said her wrist felt “a lot better” after the match, but in the moment, the fall almost crushed her spirits.

“She was playing really great tennis on top of that, but I’m happy that I kept my composure,” Mboko said. “I was patient in the right moments. I just feel really happy that I was able to bounce back after being down, even a match point, I think.”

Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion who reached No. 1 in the world, continued her best performance in a WTA 1000 tournament since reaching the Miami final in 2022. She stepped for 15 months toward the end of that season and had daughter Shai in July 2023. She’s seeking her eighth title and her first since the 2021 Australian Open.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, reacts against Clara Tauson, of Denmark, during their semifinal match at the National Bank Open tennis tournament in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Victoria Mboko of Canada reacts following her win over Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan during semifinal tennis action at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, left, congratulates Victoria Mboko of Canada on her win during semifinal tennis action at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Victoria Mboko of Canada reacts following her win over Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan during semifinal tennis action at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Victoria Mboko of Canada reacts following her win over Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan during semifinal tennis action at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Fans cheer as Victoria Mboko, of Canada, plays against Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, during their semifinal match at the National Bank Open tennis tournament in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, hits a return to Victoria Mboko, of Canada, during their semifinal match at the National Bank Open tennis tournament in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Victoria Mboko, of Canada, hits a return to Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, during their semifinal match at the National Bank Open tennis tournament in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Victoria Mboko of Canada reacts during her game against Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan during semifinal tennis action at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Victoria Mboko, of Canada, reacts during a semifinal match against Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, at the National Bank Open tennis tournament in Montreal, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison Friday in the first verdict from eight criminal trials over the martial law debacle that forced him out of office and other allegations.

Yoon was impeached, arrested and dismissed as president after his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024 triggered huge public protests calling for his ouster.

The most significant criminal charge against him alleges that his martial law enforcement amounted to a rebellion, and the independent counsel has requested the death sentence in the case that is to be decided in a ruling next month.

In Friday's case, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon for defying attempts to detain him, fabricating the martial law proclamation and sidestepping a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting.

Yoon has maintained he didn’t intend to place the country under military rule for an extended period, saying his decree was only meant to inform the people about the danger of the liberal-controlled parliament obstructing his agenda. But investigators have viewed Yoon’s decree as an attempt to bolster and prolong his rule, charging him with rebellion, abuse of power and other criminal offenses.

Judge Baek Dae-hyun said in the televised ruling that imposing “a grave punishment” was necessary because Yoon hasn’t shown remorse and has only repeated “hard-to-comprehend excuses.” The judge also restoring legal systems damaged by Yoon’s action was necessary.

Yoon, who can appeal the ruling, hasn’t immediately publicly responded to the ruling. But when the independent counsel demanded a 10-year prison term in the case, Yoon’s defense team accused them of being politically driven and lacking legal grounds to demand such “an excessive” sentence.

Prison sentences in the multiple, smaller trials Yoon faces would matter if he is spared the death penalty or life imprisonment at the rebellion trial.

Park SungBae, a lawyer who specializes in criminal law, said there is little chance the court would decide Yoon should face the death penalty in the rebellion case. He said the court will likely issue a life sentence or a sentence of 30 years or more in prison.

South Korea has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 1997 and courts rarely hand down death sentences. Park said the court would take into account that Yoon’s decree didn’t cause casualties and didn’t last long, although Yoon hasn’t shown genuine remorse for his action.

A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shouts slogans outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs and flags outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waits for a bus carrying former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs as police officers stand guard outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs and flags outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A picture of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is placed on a board as supporters gather outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)