Sebastian Korda doesn't feel he's 'under the radar', hopes to join Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner conversation
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Updated 09/10/2023 at 19:32 GMT
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have been the two standout youngsters on ATP Tour this season. Sebastian Korda, 23, showed his talent at the start of the year in reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals and said after upsetting Daniil Medvedev at the Shanghai Masters that he hopes to be "in the talks" with Alcaraz and Sinner. Korda also said he is "playing some really good tennis again".
Highlights: Medvedev crashes out to impressive Korda in Shanghai
Sebastian Korda says he doesn't view himself as “under the radar” among the top young players on the ATP Tour – and hopes to form rivalries with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
The 23-year-old pulled off one of the biggest wins of his career as he beat second seed Daniil Medvedev in straight sets at the Shanghai Masters.
It was Korda’s first top-five victory and his second win over Medvedev this season.
The other came at the Australian Open, where Korda made the quarter-finals.
Asked after his latest win over Medvedev about where he sees himself alongside the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner, Korda said: “I mean, they obviously have better results than me. I don't think I'm under the radar in any sort.
“Just have some good results here and there, and hopefully be in the talks with them.
“But, yeah, they're incredible players and hopefully we'll be playing against each other for many, many years.”
Korda’s season has been disrupted by injury and only recently has he flashed the same form that he showed in Melbourne to start the year.
“It's been a really long year for me. A lot of injuries, a lot of time off,” he said.
“To finally get a really good win like this against a top-five player is great for me. I had a lot of fun today.
“Obviously I'm playing some really good tennis again, I'm very excited for that, and hopefully I can keep…continue doing what I'm doing and hopefully have some good results soon.”
Korda will be looking to make his second career Masters quarter-finals when he faces Francisco Cerundolo in the last 16 on Tuesday in Shanghai.
A win could see him move into the top 25 in the rankings at the end of the tournament.
Korda will be hoping for a repeat of his strong serving display which proved key in victory over Medvedev.
“I wish I could serve as well as I did, every single day, that would definitely make everything a lot easier,” said Korda.
“I had a really good first-serve percentage. Against players like him you have to serve really well, you have to be aggressive on your serve and hit your spots and go to the net.
“I think one of the things that kind of maybe disrupts him is kind of just being an aggressive player, going to the net, you know, slicing the ball, bringing him in. I think I do that really well, and I think it gives him a little bit of trouble.”
Medvedev was also impressed with Korda’s serving, which he suggested was better than he expected.
“The thing is that I watched his results and I doubt he serves like this all the time, because with how he served today, I consider myself someone who is a good returner, like I break, I don't know the real statistic, but I would think I'm somewhere in top five breaking the opponent's serve. He was just 210[kph] on the line almost all the time.
“I had one break point in the match, the only time again where he served maybe a little bit worse in the tie-break, but tie-break is small part of the match. The question is, why did he serve like this today and not the other days, because, again, if he would serve like this all the time, he would win more matches.
“That's how tennis is, you know. He was on a good day, he played good, won a good set point. I made double faults on a set point, and that's why he's through to the next round.”
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