Australian Open – round of 16 – Karen Khachanov and Sebastian Korda qualify for the quarter-finals

A lesson for Nishioka

Karen Khachanov bat Yoshihito Nishioka 6-0, 6-0, 7-6 (4)

Two sets alone in the world, and a last one with forceps to conclude: Karen Khachanov lived two matches this Sunday, but he still quietly qualified for the quarter-finals (6-0, 6-0, 7-6 (4)) in 1h58 of play against the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka. The Russian continues to impress and confirms what he had shown by reaching the semi-finals of the last US Open.

15 games. This is the staggering total it took Nishioka this Sunday to unlock his total. The Japanese completely missed his first two sets, compiling incredible statistics at this level, while his game was in full disintegration. After having already accumulated 12 unforced errors for 3 winning strokes in the first round, the Japanese hit rock bottom in the second act: no winning stroke, 11 unforced errors, no points won behind his first (0/9) and only two points won in the six games played!

Despite this incredible failure, the Japanese sent a cold sweat down the back of the Russian in the third set. After being broken from the start, Nishioka entered his match abruptly, taking Khachanov’s serve, before holding him off until the tie-break. The Russian, who fell Frances Tiafoe in the previous round, then had the merit of keeping his composure to win four points in a row and conclude on his first match point. Solid throughout the match and author of 15 aces, he confirms his good dispositions.

Korda, always higher

Sebastian Korda beat Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7)

Sebastian Korda continues his crazy epic. After Daniil Medvedev, the American triumphed this Sunday over Hubert Hurkacz, seeded number 10, to afford his first career Grand Slam quarter-final. At the end of an unequal match, the protege of Radek Stepanek knew how to take the necessary risks to win in the tie-break of the fifth set.

Between two good servers, the match has long been disjointed. Failed in his first set (3-6), Korda largely dominated the second and third sets (6-3, 6-2), before falling back into his traps and letting the fourth set slip away (1-6) . It was therefore necessary to wait for the fifth set for the two players to offer their best tennis at the same time, and find regularity in the service, despite their respective qualities in this area.

The American managed to hold on until the tie-break, notably dismissing two break points at 5-5. Once in the decisive game, the scenario of the match repeated itself, as Hurkacz quickly took a two-point lead (3-1) before conceding six points in a row (3-7), then returning to draw (7-7). More solid in the exchange, Korda then forced the decision of a winning reverse against a Pole who was too timid despite his status as favorite (7-10).

The 22-year-old is thus rewarded at the end of a match at an often average level of play (42 winning shots and 52 unforced errors for Korda, 49 and 60 for Hurkacz) where he will have demonstrated feverishness in backhand and serve (58% first serve). We will probably have to do better against Khachanov on Tuesday, but it is already a superb achievement for the seeded number 29 who never ceases to surprise.