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Stat of the Day: Sebastian Korda scores first Top 5 win of career against Medvedev in Shanghai

The American’s best previous win had come against a No. 8-ranked Medvedev at this year’s Australian Open.

ByJohn Berkok

Published Oct 08, 2023

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Two days ago an American beat a Top 5 player in Shanghai, as Brandon Nakashima defeated No. 5-ranked Holger Rune in the second round.

Today it happened again, as Sebastian Korda upset No. 3-ranked Daniil Medvedev in the third round of the Masters 1000 event, 7-6 (8), 6-2.

And it’s a landmark victory for Korda—his first Top 5 win. The 23-year-old had been 0-6 against Top 5 players going into the match.

SEBASTIAN KORDA VS TOP 5 PLAYERS (1-6):
~ l. to No. 2 Nadal in 2020 Roland Garros 4th Rd, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2
~ l. to No. 3 Tsitsipas in 2021 Cincinnati 2nd Rd, 7-6 (5), 6-3
~ l. to No. 2 Medvedev in 2021 Paris 3rd Rd, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
~ l. to No. 4 Nadal in 2022 Indian Wells 2nd Rd, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (3)
~ l. to No. 5 Djokovic in 2023 Adelaide-1 F, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (3), 6-4
~ l. to No. 2 Alcaraz in 2023 Queen’s Club SFs, 6-3, 6-4
~ d. No. 3 Medvedev in 2023 Shanghai 3rd Rd, 7-6 (8), 6-2

Korda had five career Top 10 wins coming into Sunday’s match against Medvedev, his best previous win by ranking actually coming against a No. 8-ranked Medvedev at this year’s Australian Open. He also had one win over a No. 9 (Diego Schwartzman at 2021 Miami) and three wins over No. 10s (Roberto Bautista Agut at 2021 Halle, Felix Auger-Aliassime at 2022 Estoril and Frances Tiafoe at 2023 Queen’s Club).

Korda ripped his 29th winner of the match on match point—a big backhand down the line return winner.

Korda ripped his 29th winner of the match on match point—a big backhand down the line return winner.

© 2023 Getty Images

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The 53-minute first set between Korda and Medvedev could easily have gone either way—not only did Korda have to serve to stay in the set twice, at 4-5 and 5-6, but he also fought off a total of three set points in the tie-break, two down 6-4 and a third down 7-6. But he got through it, opened up a 3-0 lead in the second set and never looked back, even sneaking out a second break in the last game of the match.

Both players finished the match with positive differentials of winners to unforced errors—Korda 29 to 22 and Medvedev 18 to 14.

“We played really good tennis from the beginning. We had some long rallies,” Korda said. “I was very happy to get that first set under my belt.”

Up next for the No. 26-seeded Korda in the round of 16 will be the winner of the third-round match later on Sunday between No. 20 seed Francisco Cerundolo and unseeded Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.