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Emerging star Sebastian Korda has knocked dual runner-up Daniil Medvedev out of the Australian Open with a dazzling straight-sets upset.
Key points:
- The 22-year-old Korda claimed victory 25 years after his dad won the Australian Open
- Medvedev had been beaten in the past two Australian Open finals
- Korda's mum was also a tennis star, while his sisters are both golf champions
The 22-year-old American claimed a rollercoaster first set that went for 85 minutes and included six breaks to set up the 7-6 (9-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) triumph on Rod Laver Arena.
Medvedev, who was beaten in the past two Australian Open finals, was simply outplayed by the tenacious Korda in their third-round clash.
The son of 1998 Australian Open champion Petr, Korda continues his rise through the ranks with the biggest win of his career, advancing to the fourth round for the third time at a grand slam.
The 29th seed will meet Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in a final-16 clash.
"Probably one of the better matches I've played in my career," Korda said.
"Just stuck with the game plan, kept going after it. No matter what happened, kept pushing forward."
The result came as a shock but Korda has started 2023 in outstanding form, pushing 21-time major winner Novak Djokovic to three sets in the Adelaide International final.
It is just Korda's second appearance at Melbourne Park, having been beaten in the third round last year.
The silky right-hander has previously reached the fourth round at Wimbledon (2021) and the French Open (2020).
'The worst athlete in the family'
Korda's prodigious sporting family has a rich history in Australia.
As well as Petr winning his only major 25 years ago and mum Regina Rajchrtova being a Czech tennis Olympian, Sebastian claimed the junior title in 2018 and both his sisters, Jessica and Nelly, have both won the Australian Open in golf.
"It's a special place for us. We've had some really great results," Korda said.
"Hopefully I can do one better than the juniors and do it in the pros."
On court, he got the crowd laughing as he observed: "I don't know what I'm going to be ranked now but my mum's career [high] ranking was 26, my dad's was two, my sister Nelly was number one, my older sister Jessica was sixth … so I'm definitely the worst athlete in the family so far"
Korda is blessed with experience around him, connecting with eight-time major winner Andre Agassi during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"He's been one of the biggest parts in my rise," Korda said of Agassi, who texted him from America immediately after the match.
"Just overall, not just as a tennis player, but as a human being.
"We spend a lot of time together. Yeah, he's very special to me."
Medvedev, a former world number one, continues his search for a second grand slam to add to his 2021 US Open title.
After losing to Rafael Nadal in last year's decider at Melbourne Park when up by two sets, Medvedev has failed to move past the fourth round in the three grand slams he has contested since.
"Right now, I'm a little bit struggling to win these kind of matches against opponents that can play good level. That's what I have to find back," Medvedev said.
AAP