Desert Queen: Muchova Tops Mboko for Biggest Title in Doha

By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, February 14, 2026
Photo credit: Mohamed Ali Abdalla/Getty

Final failures didn’t deter Karolina Muchova in Doha today.

Past title stumbles inspired Muchova to soar to the biggest title of her life.

The 14th-seeded Muchova won five of the final six games defusing red-hot Victoria Mboko 6-4, 7-6, to capture her first career WTA 1000 championship in Doha.

Carrying a 1-5 career finals record into this title match, Muchova delivered a dynamic all-court performance to win her first title since the 2019 Seoul crown at the 250-level.

“I would say I nearly forgot the winning feeling, because it’s been really quite a while,” Muchova said. “To get reminded of it, actually, I was pretty nervous before the match. I’m like, Okay, how am I going to deal with it, how am I going to manage it. And then when you actually make it, and I dealt with that pressure I think very good in today’s match, I was just relieved.

“And the intensity of the feeling of winning, it’s just so nice. Yeah, I’m just trying to enjoy it, because in tennis everything goes so fast. I think sometimes we forget to stop and reflect on the good weeks, or small wins, big wins. My next tournament starts tomorrow (laughing), so it’s really tough. But I would just like to stop for a little bit and enjoy it with my team, and just go somewhere tonight with them and have a good time and maybe reflect a little more.”

”

A masterful Muchova surrendered just one set in six tournament victories—that slight setback came in her 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Maria Sakkari in yesterday’s semifinals.

It was a historic Doha run for the 19-year-old Mboko, who knocked off Grand Slam champions Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko to reach the Doha final. Mboko cracked the Top 10 for the first time, becoming the fourth Canadian woman to achieve that feat and was poised to force this match three sets holding a 4-2 second-set lead.

“It was just amazing,” Mboko said. “I want to thank Karolina and her team. You played very well. Hopefully I can play you more in the future…

“It’s not the outcome I wanted, but I think there’s so many positives to take away. Thank you.”

Muchova is a much better mover than both Rybakina and Ostapenko and she showed it, running down drop shots, hitting some sharp-angled backhand slices, attacking net with confidence and defending with determination.

Serving for her biggest title, Muchova threw down her third love hold of the final then thrust her arms toward the sky in triumph completing a one hour, 34-minute victory.

Mboko said Muchova was simply too tough to overcome on this day.

“Looking back at everything, it was a positive week,” Mboko said. “Karolina played really great tennis, so I
have to give props to her. Yeah, I think it’s still the beginning of the year, there’s still the rest of the season.

“I think right now it’s just important to improve and move forward and work on things that need to be worked on and, yeah.”

The 29-year-old Czech found her groove midway through the first set. Muchova soared through eight of nine points breaking for 4-3 then confirming the break with a love hold for 5-3.

Though Mboko saved a set point at 30-40 to hold for 4-5, Muchova would not be denied in the set.

Whipping the wide serve, Muchova stamped a strong hold at 15—making the lone break of the set stand—to snatch a one-set lead.

“She’s hitting the ball very hard,” Muchova said of Mboko. “When you play her it feels like she’s kind of fearless. She makes it tough until the last point.

“In the second set she broke my serve, and it could go either way. Yeah, she’s very fast, very strong. She’s
super young, so I think she will have a great career and hold a lot of trophies.”

In the fifth game of set two, the Czech applied the dipping backhand slice to earn triple break point. Mboko rose to the challenge fighting off all three break points, including pounding a smash down the line on the third.

Reaching up, Mboko smacked successive aces out wide working through a tough hold for a 3-2 second-set lead.

An energized Mboko had the momentum and handcuffed the Czech with a backhand pass to break for a 4-2 lead after one hour, 11 minutes.

In the key seventh game, Muchova turned the tables using her legs and all-court acumen. Muchova ran down a drop shot then knifed a backhand volley down the line for double break point. When Mboko missed a backhand wide from nearly on top of the net, Muchova broke back for 3-4.

Serving with confidence, Muchova sped through a love hold to level after eight games.

Mboko is a penetrating server who wastes no time when she steps up to the line. In the 11th game, the 19-year-old Canadian hit a couple of good wide serves only to see the rangy Muchova rip forehand returns down the line for a second break point.

When Mboko netted a backhand, Muchova had her third break of the final and a 6-5 lead.