Seb Korda has followed in the footsteps of his father Petr by winning the Citi Open in Washington.

The American recovered from a set down to defeat Flavio Cobolli 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, to win his first ATP 500 title at the age of 24. Coming into this week, he has lost seven out of eight Tour-level finals contested with his sole triumph being on the clay at the 2021 Emilia-Romagna Open in Italy. 

“He’s got a really tricky serve. He tosses it super far behind him. You don’t really know what he’s going to do with it,” Korda said of Cobolli. “He’s such an explosive player, incredibly fast. When he’s feeling fresh, he’s incredibly dangerous.”

“We played in Rome as well this year. A tough three-setter, and now again with a three-setter. Luckily for me, I guess he was feeling a little tired from all the hours that he spent on court here.”

The triumph is even sweeter for Korda who grew up at the tournament. He has previously been a ball boy at the event which his father won in 1992. 

“Coming to these tournaments, being around the guys, having just a lot of fun around here, was the biggest key to my career, realizing how badly I wanted to be a professional tennis player,” he said. 

“I mean, I cried a little bit. Yeah, it was pretty emotional. So many times I’ve practiced or played on center court here, and you see my dad in ’92 [on the stadium facade] always right across from where you sit down. It’s pretty cool to finally put my name up there, as well.”

Korda, who was seeded fourth in the draw, also defeated Frances Tiafoe and Jordan Thompson earlier in the tournament. As a result of his triumph, he will rise to 18th in the ATP standings.

Novak Djokovic is hoping for some rain in Paris after sealing his place in the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament on Wednesday. 

The 24-time Grand Slam champion battled to a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Dominik Koepfer of Germany in humid conditions on another hot day in Paris. Djokovic was tested early on by the world No.70 but managed to take control of proceedings by winning five straight games between the first and second sets. Overall, he hit 19 winners and won 86% of his first service points. 

“I’m soaking wet,” Djokovic said after his win. 
“It’s a very, very humid day, as it was yesterday.
“I just hope it rains so it cools down the temperature a bit and the air. But it is what it is.
“You have to, kind of accept and embrace the conditions. It’s the same for you and your opponent.” 

The temperature at Roland Garros are in the low 30’s° but it feels much hotter on the court. Earlier this week, organizers brought into effect the hot weather rule that allows players to take breaks for 10 minutes between the second and third sets. 

Hot weather aside, Djokovic is relishing his time at the Olympics as he describes playing at the event as different from playing at the French Open. Even though both tournaments are held at the same venue. 

“It’s a great honor to represent my country at the Olympics.” He said. 
“We play Roland Garros every year in this stadium, but the crowd, the atmosphere, the colors, everything is different.
“In a good way, of course. Roland Garros’s crowd is also very, knowledgeable about tennis and passionate about tennis.
“But the Olympic crowd is just something different.”

Djokovic, who is one of the most decorated tennis players of all time, is bidding to win his first gold medal in Paris. In the next round, he faces his biggest test yet against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek beat Argetina’s Sebastian Baez 7-5, 6-1. He currently leads their head-to-head 11-2 and has won all of their 10 most recent meetings. 

Andy Murray is two wins away from guaranteeing himself an Olympic medal in Paris after surviving another rollercoaster doubles match.

The former world No.1 and partner Dan Evans held their nerve to edge out Belgium’s Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), (11-9). The British duo failed to convert two match points in the second set tiebreaker and then another two in the decisive tiebreaker before finally prevailing after more than two hours of play. 

It is the second match in a row that Murray and Evans have been pushed to their limits. In the first round, they saved five match points against Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel.

“Doubles matches with the way the scoring is and the way that teams play the matches now, things can turn really quickly,” Murray said after his latest win.

“I felt like we played well, we both served well. Maybe we could have returned a bit better.

“We deserve to maybe win that match in two sets but we served a couple of double faults in the second set tiebreaker andthen you’re like ‘oh no, it’s getting away from us’. 

But then, you know, when the clutch time came at the end of the third set, we came up with the goods.”

It was visible how much the Olympics means to Murray, who is playing in the final tournament of his career. Immediately after his second round victory, he sat down and started to cry which he later said was ‘happy tears.’ 

“It’s obviously unbelievably emotional,” he said.

“You’re obviously unbelievably happy and then, for whatever reason, I don’t know why it happens, you get happy tears. I don’t know why that’s the case. But yeah, it was really emotional at the end of the match. 

“(I’m) Extremely happy and excited that we managed to get through another amazing finish. It takes a lot out of you that sort of stuff.”

Murray is chasing after his fourth Olympic medal whilst Evans is seeking his first at 34. The three-time Grand Slam champion is the only man to have won back-to-back singles titles in 2012 and 2016. He also won a silver medal in the mixed doubles with Laura Robson in 2012.

The next challenge for the Brits will be either third seeds Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul or Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer.

“The next match, obviously, is a big one. You get through the next one, then you have two opportunities for a medal.” Murray commented.

“I lost in the quarters at the doubles in Tokyo (2020 Olympic Games) in a really tight match. That was tough. But we’ve got a day of rest tomorrow (Wednesday) and we’ll prepare well.”