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.
“It’s been a while since I won a tournament so it’s just nice to get the feeling again to be reminded of that victory feeling here in Doha,” Muchova said. “It’s incredible. Thank you very much.
“I’m very excited. I’d like to congratulate Victoria. You’re a teenager and you played with so much maturity. You played incredible. I’m sure you have many titles ahead of you… This is my first 1000 tournament victory and I’m so happy it came here in Doha.”
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.
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.
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.
Credit Muchova for flying through the finish line rolling through a love hold and seizing her biggest title when Mboko sailed a backhand.
The 2023 Roland Garros runner-up joins Petra Kvitova, Karolina Pliskova and Lucie Safarova as the fourth Czech woman to win Doha.
