Washington D.C, Aug 3 Sebastian Korda continued his impressive run at the DC Open, overcoming Australia's Jordan Thompson with a decisive 6-4, 6-2 victory. The win secured the American his fourth semi-final appearance of the season, pushing him back to No. 20 in the ATP live rankings—a position that matches his career-high from June.
At just 24 years old, Korda is on the brink of further ascension; winning the Washington title would elevate him to No. 18, equalling the ranking milestone achieved by his father, Petr Korda, in 1992. Against Thompson, Korda showcased his dominance, hitting 10 aces and saving the only break point against him.
In the upcoming semi-final, Korda awaits the winner of the match between top seed Andrey Rublev and fifth seed Frances Tiafoe, both formidable opponents.
On the other side of the draw, second seed Ben Shelton secured his place in the semi-finals under dramatic circumstances. Shelton led Denis Shapovalov 7-6(5), 6-6(6-3) when the Canadian was defaulted after an unfortunate comment to a fan.
With this victory, Shelton maintained his perfect record in quarter-finals on home soil, improving his season record to 26-16—matching his total win tally from 2023, his first full year on the ATP Tour. The talented American's consistency continues to impress, and he remains a strong contender for the title.
Shelton will face 10th seed Flavio Cobolli, who delivered a thrilling 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(2) victory against American Alex Michelsen. The 22-year-old Italian saved five match points in a gripping third-round encounter with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to reach his first ATP 500 quarter-final.
Now, through to his second tour-level semi-final after reaching this stage in Geneva in May, Cobolli is poised to break new ground. He has risen six places to No. 42 in the ATP live rankings and is on the cusp of the top 40. A win in the semi-final would propel him into the top 30.
--IANS
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