Sebastien Korda a US qualifier is through to the third round of the French Open after beating his fellow American John Isner in 4 sets 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, and 6-4.
First set :
John Isner had no problem starting the match on serve and had a pretty comfortable opening service game. After Korda held serve he immediately went for the break and managed to get three early breakpoints.
He would end up breaking when Isner would hit a ball into the net to take an early 2-1 lead. The Bradenton, Florida native had no problem consolidating the break as the Greensboro, North Carolina native was hitting a lot of errors.
Both players had love service games and the 20-year-old had another breakpoint to increase his lead but the 35-year-old would save it and end up holding with a big second serve on game point. Once again both players did a good job of holding serve and Korda would serve it out to take it 6-4.
Second set :
Both players once again would do a good job of holding serve in their opening service games and at 1-1 the 213th player in the world would get the first breakpoints of the set when the 23rd ranked player would serve an untimely double fault.
Korda would get the break when the resident of Dallas, Texas would return a ball into the net to take a 2-1 lead. The 6 foot 5 American would have a solid service game and the 21 seed would have a rough service serving two double faults in a row but would be able to hold.
Isner would continue to struggle on serve and at 4-2 he would once again serve back to back double faults and the Florida resident was able to get a double break to lead 5-2. He would serve for the set but the North Carolina native would get a break back as Korda would hit an unforced error to make it 5-3.
He would hold his serve after to that to make it 5-4 but this time Korda made no mistake winning the set 6-4 forcing Isner to hit a shot wide. The 21st seed was now down two sets to none and was in trouble of going home early.
Third Set :
Before the third set started Korda called for the trainer to work on his lower back and the American had a medical timeout. Isner saw his opponent was starting to give in a bit and took full advantage of it and earned two break points right away but the Florida resident would manage to save both including a spectacular winner on the second one.
He would manage to hold serve and the set would stay on serve until the fifth game when the Dallas resident had two more break points but once again Korda would come up big forcing errors from the Isner forehand.
It was four times lucky for the 6ft 10 American as he managed to time a perfectly placed drop shot to break and take a 4-2 lead which he consolidated in the next game with a love service game. Mistakes from the 20-year-old would give the 35-year-old another chance to break and he did just that forcing another unforced error to take the third set 6-2.
Fourth set :
Both players held serve to start the fourth and we were wondering if Isner would be able to pull off a two-set deficit to win the match. Korda put those questions to bed as he continued to play way above his ranking.
He would have two early break points but the 21st seed would be able to save them both before being faced with another. It took four chances but he would finally break the 6ft 10 serve with a beautiful cross-court winner. The 213th ranked player would consolidate his break by holding serve and at 3-2 Isner would have chances of his own to go back on serve.
His big forehand would set up a breakpoint at 30-40 and then he would break Korda serve by hitting a winner down the line to even the set at 3. The 6ft 5 Floridian went back to work looking for the crucial break to try and seal the match in four. He would force a breakpoint when the Texas resident would hit a forehand long and then get the break when Isner sent a ball into the net to take a 4-3 lead.
He would hold serve to make it 5-3 and then after Isner held serve once again would serve out the match to cause one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Korda will next face Pedro Martinez in the third round on Friday.