Korda and Nishioka will take on each other in the semi-final of the Adelaide International 1 on January 7.
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Yoshihito Nishioka eked out a victory to advance to the semifinals, 7-6 6-7 6-2, despite Alexei Popyrin serving 27 aces and having a break point early in two of the three sets. He had it easier because after defeating the world’s #11 Holger Rune in the opening round, he only had to contend with world #63 Mackenzie McDonald and world #120 Alexei Popyrin. The top-ranked Japanese player in 2018 had to wait eight months before making his first semifinal appearance on the main tour, but he did it in 2023 during his opening match. Last year, he defeated Andrey Rublev in Washington and Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) in both of his semifinal matches en route to winning the championship in Seoul.
With victories over notable opponents like Andy Murray, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Jannik Sinner in straight sets, Sebastian Korda has had a perfect start to 2023. At the moment, none of his three opponents are particularly strong, but these victories would greatly boost the American’s self-confidence. Early in 2022, the 22-year-old lacked confidence, which had an impact on his performance in crucial situations of some big matches. Against players like Frances Tiafoe, Rafael Nadal, and Cameron Norrie, he was unable to capitalise on his opportunities.
| Sinner vs Korda | Match details |
|---|---|
| Date | January 6, 2023 |
| Surface | Hard courts |
| Tournament | Adelaide International 1 |
| Stage | Quarter-final |
| Time (India) | 6 am (tentative) |
| Time (Australia) | 11:30 am (tentative) |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Alexei Popyrin | 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (8-10), 6-2 (W) |
| Mackenzie McDonald | 6-4, 6-3 (W) |
| Holger Rune | 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 (W) |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 6-4, 6-4 (L) |
| Aslan Karatsev | 6-3, 6-4 (W) |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner | 7-5 6-1 (W) |
| Roberto Bautista Agut | 6-4, 6-4 (W) |
| Andy Murray | 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 (W) |
| Alex de Minaur | 4-6, 6-4, 4-6 (L) |
| Felix Auger-Aliassime | 3-6, 4-6 (L) |
Korda and Nishioka have faced each other twice in the past and it was the American who came away with the bragging rights on both occasions.
| Tournament | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Antwerp Open | Sebastian Korda | |
| 2021 Parma Open | Sebastian Korda |
Korda and Nishioka will take on each other in the semi-final of the Adelaide International 1 on January 7.
Australia – beIN Sports
Canada – TSN
India – Tennis TV
UK – Amazon Prime Video
USA – Tennis Channel
The matches of both men’s and women’s can be live streamed on demand on the Tennis TV app and website.
