Sebastian Korda previews Jannik Sinner clash at 2024 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters

Sebastian Korda was one of only two American men in the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters draw, and after dismantling 2022 finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the 23-year-old will Jannik Sinner in the second round.

“Obviously, he’s probably the best tennis player in the world right now,” said Korda, whose head-to-head with Sinner is tied at one win apiece. “He’s had an unbelievable season and it’s going to be our first meeting on the clay. I’m just going to try to go out there, try my best, and see what happens.”

Korda won their most recent clash in Adelaide back in 2023, but Sinner has taken a major leap in 16 months since, winning his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and finishing the Sunshine Swing with a Masters 1000 victory at the Miami Open.

Still, while Korda has posted most of his best results on hard courts, the American is no slouch on clay, winning his lone ATP title on the dirt in Palermo and claiming one of the biggest wins of his career came against Carlos Alcaraz at this very tournament in 2022.

“I grew up on the clay, green clay, so a little different,” he told Prakash Amritraj after defeating Davidovich Fokina, 6-1, 6-1. “But I really enjoy playing on clay and I think when I’m playing really well on it, it suits my game pretty well.”

While most of his countrymen spent last week on quicker clay at a tournament in Houston, Korda joined Marcos Giron in Monte Carlo in the hopes of getting a jump start on the clay-court season after dealing with injuries for much of 2023.

“I think a big key is getting a lot of time. Luckily or unfortunately, I had quite a bit of time,” joked Korda, who lost in the third round of the Miami Open to Hubert Hurkacz. “I’ve been here over a week and just getting used to it. It’s very difficult, different types of movement, and you really need to stay positive. You get a lot of bad bounces, but you just have to enjoy it.”

Korda credited a doubles match alongside Miami Open finalist Girgor Dimitrov with aiding in his clay-court prep, but he may need something extra-special against Sinner, who has lost just one match all season.

Like Korda, Sinner also took the court for a doubles match, pairing compatriot Lorenzo Sonego but ultimately losing in a 10-7 match tiebreaker.

Son of former Australian Open champion Petr Korda, “Sebi” may try to draw inspiration from another doubles partner, Andy Murray; the two paired up for the Miami Open with plans to reunite on the grass in Queens.

“He’s definitely one of the most competitive people I’ve ever been on a tennis court with,” said Korda. “It’s awesome how much he loves the game and how hard he competes.

“He’s always been the guy that I watched. He was always beating up on my coach, Radek [Stepanek], so I didn’t really like him growing up because he was always beating my favorite players! But it was a really special opportunity to play doubles with him.”

Korda will face the No. 2-seeded Sinner for a spot in the third round in Monte Carlo, which would match his career-best result set in 2022.