Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon Sport
Sebastian Korda vs Andrey Rublev: Australian Open – Third round
Sebastian Korda will try to get his first win over Andrey Rublev when the two meet in the third round of the Australian Open.
Sebastisan Korda Profile
Sebastian Korda is 26th in the ATP rankings, three spots lower than his career high. The American is coming off a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Quinton Halys in the second round in Melbourne. He started the tournament with a five-setter against Vik Kopriva, winning 6-1, 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, and 6-2. Korda has been playing well at the Australian Open, reaching the quarterfinal last year and the third round in 2022.
The 23-year-old is 4-2 for the season after making it to the semifinals in Adelaide and losing in the opening round in Brisbane. He missed a significant part of 2023 and finished the season with a 26-17 record.
Andrey Rublev Profile
Andrey Rublev is enjoying his career-high ranking at No. 5 in the world. The Russian is coming off a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Christopher Eubanks in the second round after defeating Thiago Seyboth Wild in the decisive tiebreaker in the opener. Rublev is a perfect 6-0 for the season after winning the title in Hong Kong.
Last season, he won a pair in Bastad and Monte Carlo and finished the year with a 59-27 record. Rublev has never gone past the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, and he lost at that stage in 2023.
Head-to-Head
- Rublev vs Korda 6-2, 6-3 (2022 Gijon Final)
- Rublev vs Korda 7-5, 7-6 (2021 Miami quarterfinal)
Prediction and Conclusion
Both players have high hopes at the Australian Open. Korda played excellent last season but ran into Novak Djokovic and could not go deeper than the quarterfinal. Rublev has been in the top 10 for a while now and is hoping for a deep run in Melbourne. The Russian have won all four of the previous sets against Korda, but the American has reached the level to be competitive against Rublev. Korda has a reliable serve, and Rublev, despite being the better overall player, will probably lose at least a set. With the total game line set at 39.5, this one will go way over it.
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