Carlos Taberner is experiencing the most productive phase of his career at 27 years old, reaching a career-high ATP ranking of No. 84 and making a significant breakthrough by reaching the ATP Tour final at Umag in 2025. Despite this progress, the Spanish player approaches his ascent with calm and quiet determination.

Hailing from Valencia, Spain, Taberner has been a notable presence on the ATP Challenger Tour, amassing nine titles in his career, including two early in 2025 in Murcia and Sassuolo, Italy. His runner-up finish to Luciano Darderi at the Plava Laguna Croatian Open established him further on the ATP Tour level.

“It’s been a good season,” Taberner reflects modestly. “I won two Challenger titles and had some strong results. I just want to be ready for the second half of the year.” His grounded approach is essential in the fiercely competitive environment of Challenger and ATP tennis, where rankings don’t necessarily predict outcomes. “Everyone at this level can win. Matches are 50-50. The competition has really grown. A guy ranked 200 can lose to someone ranked 400. It happens every week,” he explains.

Taberner’s game is defined by consistency, resilience, and a clay-court style inspired by his childhood idol, David Ferrer. His favored surface is clay, and his forehand is a key weapon. Yet, when asked about his greatest strength, Taberner points to mental toughness and heart, saying without hesitation, “My biggest strength is my mental game and heart.”

He continues to live and train in Valencia with the Gtennis Academy, appreciating the quality of life and training environment there. His experience extends beyond the Tour to European league tennis, particularly in Italy and Germany, where he has embraced the culture and developed his language skills.

Off court, Taberner enjoys camaraderie with fellow Spanish players and indulges in his love of football, supporting UD Levante. Reflecting on a recent promotion celebration, he says, “I love football. I watched the deciding game at home in Valencia with a friend, and the next day we went to the city center to celebrate. I stayed out until 1 a.m. It was incredible.”

Looking ahead, Taberner remains focused on steady improvement, maintaining health, and enjoying the journey as he continues his ascent in 2025.

Victoria Mboko, ranked No. 85, has emerged as a remarkable talent at the 2025 Canadian Open, making history as only the third wildcard to reach the semi-finals in the tournament’s history. The 18-year-old Canadian, making her debut at this event in Montreal, has delivered an impressive run marked by significant victories.

After three solid wins in the opening rounds, Mboko stunned the crowd by defeating second seed Coco Gauff, marking the first top-10 win of her career. She continued her strong form with a quarter-final victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and is set to face ninth seed Elena Rybakina in the semi-final. Remarkably, this match comes just two weeks after Mboko lost to Rybakina in Washington.

Regardless of her semi-final result, Mboko’s outstanding performances will see her break into the top 50 of the WTA Rankings for the first time following the tournament. The 2025 season has been one of steady progress for Mboko, climbing from outside the top 300 at the start of the year to her current ranking inside the top 100.

Nathalie Tauziat, former world No. 3 and 1998 Wimbledon finalist, has played a crucial role in this ascent. Initially coaching Mboko as a junior, Tauziat rejoined her team in 2025 and witnessed the player win 22 consecutive matches at ITF level before making breakthrough appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Tauziat praises Mboko’s growing confidence and mental composure: “Since the beginning of the year, she win [sic] so many matches. I think what is important also for her is to see us not panic when something happen. I remember at the beginning of the year, she always told me: ‘Oh, you’re so calm during the match.’ I say: ‘You know what, it’s just a match. I mean, I can help you, but if I show you I am on panic myself, I mean, it’s going to be worse for you, so why do you want me to panic? I’m not panicking. It’s just a match, and I’m here to help you.’”

Mboko’s technical skills and attitude also stand out. Tauziat highlighted her powerful serve and eagerness to learn: “I think she believes in herself. I think also, she has the power maybe more. She has a very good serve. Not a lot of players have a good serve. She likes to learn. She likes to improve. So I think it’s important.”

With a track record of coaching rising Canadian stars such as Eugenie Bouchard, Bianca Andreescu, and Leylah Fernandez, Tauziat brings a wealth of experience to Mboko’s development. Yet she remains cautious about Mboko’s future, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus: “It’s complicated to say because right now, of course, her [Mboko’s] standing is going to change, with the players first. After, as I say, some players who rise very high level young, sometimes they lost the priority. So what is going to be very important for Vicky is to keep the priority of tennis first over many things around. I think it would be very important for her to stay, and some players don’t do that. You can go up, but if you’re not continuing to progress and work hard, I mean, you can go down very quickly.”

The men’s singles semi-finals at the 2025 Canadian Open are set amid a backdrop of unexpected withdrawals, yet the tournament has produced a competitive and compelling line-up. Top seed Alexander Zverev is poised to face Karen Khachanov, who has shown impressive form, while an all-American semifinal features Taylor Fritz against Ben Shelton.

The ATP Rankings landscape this year is nuanced, as last year’s points will only drop after the tournament concludes. Current rankings see Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz out of the competition, alongside Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper, creating an opening for other players to capitalize at this Masters 1000 event.

Ben Shelton has achieved a new career-high at No. 7, improving significantly from his second-round exit last year. Victory in the semi-final and final could elevate Shelton to No. 6, overtaking Djokovic. Zverev and Fritz have both improved their standings by surpassing their previous year’s performances, strengthening their top-four positions crucial for upcoming US Open seedings.

Karen Khachanov, returning to the semi-finals for the first time since 2019, climbed three places to No. 13 in the live rankings and could break into the top 10 with a tournament win. Meanwhile, reigning champion Alexei Popyrin, despite a quarter-final finish this year, is set to temporarily rise to No. 19 before dropping out of the top 30 as 2024 points are deducted.

Further ranking shifts include Andrey Rublev entering the top 10 at No. 10, while others like Corentin Moutet and Learner Tien have climbed to career-best positions. Conversely, players such as Flavio Cobolli, Sebastian Korda, Tomas Machac, and Jordan Thompson have seen declines due to points lost either here or from other recent events.

In summary, the 2025 Canadian Open has been pivotal for several players, with some consolidating or improving their rankings and a few facing setbacks as the ATP rankings evolve going into the remainder of the season.