Simple strategy pays off huge Open upset

1 year ago 49

Sebastian Korda bushed two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (4) successful the Australian Open's 3rd circular Friday night, the latest successful a drawstring of victories by young American men against apical players astatine Melbourne Park.

Korda, the lad of 1998 Australian Open champion Petr, is simply a 22-year-old from Florida who is seeded 29th.

He equalled his champion showing astatine immoderate Grand Slam tourney by reaching the circular of 16.

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The No. 7-seeded Medvedev won the U.S. Open 2 years agone and made it to the last successful Australia successful 2021, erstwhile helium mislaid to Novak Djokovic, and 2022, erstwhile helium mislaid to Rafael Nadal aft holding a two-set lead.

This effect comes connected the heels of 2 different attention-grabbing victories by players from the U.S., whose men past won a Grand Slam rubric 20 years ago. On Wednesday, Mackenzie McDonald bushed No. 1 effect Nadal. On Thursday, Jenson Brooksby bushed No. 2 effect Casper Ruud. And present it was Korda's crook to adhd his sanction to the list.

On this nighttime successful Rod Laver Arena, it was Korda who dictated astir of the points, who enactment his shots close wherever helium wanted them, who charged guardant with verve and slick volleys. He adjacent threw successful the occasional driblet shot, for bully measure.

"I benignant of knew what I had to do. I stuck with it, adjacent erstwhile I was going up and down with the emotions," Korda said.

And however would helium picture that crippled plan?

"Just spell for it," helium said with a laugh.

Korda compiled astir doubly arsenic galore winners arsenic Medvedev, 50-28, and though determination were plentifulness of unforced errors disconnected his racket, too, that did not wounded the American.

Korda grabbed the pb successful each of the archetypal 3 sets, breaking Medvedev successful his archetypal work crippled each time.

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And with the lucifer a fraction longer than 2 1/2 hours old, Korda was serving portion up 4-3, 40-15 successful the 3rd set. So adjacent to advancing, 5 points distant from winning.

Right there, close then, is erstwhile Korda slipped up.

After Medvedev made it 40-30 with a forehand winner, Korda got a accidental to deed a seemingly elemental volley to instrumentality the game. But helium missed, sending the shot excessively long. On the adjacent point, helium netted a forehand from the baseline, his sixth unforced mistake disconnected that helping successful the acceptable — six much than Medvedev astatine that moment. A netted backhand past completed the gift-wrapped break, and 1 emotion clasp later, Medvedev had accumulated 8 consecutive points to spell up 5-4.

What appeared to beryllium a turning point, though, turned retired conscionable to beryllium a blip.

Korda raced to a 6-1 pb successful the closing tiebreaker and, portion helium again needed to settled down aft immoderate missed chances, this clip helium ended things with a forehand winner.

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