Sebastian Korda stuns top seed Sonego in Parma

Sebastian Korda roared into his first clay-court ATP quarterfinal at the Emilia-Romagna Open, shocking top seed Lorenzo Sonego, 6-1, 7-5.

The unseeded American is gearing up for another big run in Paris after a slow start on the terre battue, dispatching the hometown favorite in 90 minutes on Center Court.

Korda made his major breakthrough on clay last fall at Roland Garros and translated that momentum on hard-courts early in 2021, reaching his first career final at the Delray Beach Open and his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal in Miami.

"It's an incredible win, Korda said on court after the match. "He's played some amazing tennis on the clay and he's beaten me earlier this year, so I'm super happy with the win."

The return to clay proved bumpier than expected for the 20-year-old, who amassed a four-match losing streak through the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Lyon, but looked vastly improved despite a three-set defeat to Lorenzo Musetti and was victorious to start his week in Parma over another Italian, Andreas Seppi.

Eager to avenge an Open Sud de France defeat to Sonego back in February, Korda caught fire early against the top seed, racing through the first four games and staving off five break points to push ahead, 5-0. Though Sonego got on the board shortly thereafter, Korda wouldn’t be denied, overpowering the Italian off the forehand side to claim the opening set.

At 26, Sonego is on the older end of this surging cadre of talent that includes 19-year-old countrymen Musetti and Jannik Sinner, but has been no less impressive in the last six months—especially on clay, where he matched Korda’s fourth-round result at Roland Garros, won his second career title at the Sardegna Open, and pushed world No. 1 Novak Djokovic to three sets after back-to-back wins over Dominic Thiem and Andrey Rublev at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

Steadying at the start of the second set, Sonego drew the American into a series of straightforward service holds and earned a set point in the 10th game. Korda saved it with a big serve and turned the tables on Sonego in the very next game, outrallying his higher-ranked opposition to find himself serving for the upset.

Though Sonego saved a first match point, Korda remained focus to secure victory off a searing backhand down the line.

Awaiting him in the last eight is No. 8 seed Yoshihito Nishioka, who knocked out Musetti in straight sets earlier in the afternoon.