Young Americans Korda, 21, Nakashima, 20, win in Washington

Associated PressAug 3, 2021, 7:39 PM EDT

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WASHINGTON — Sebastian Korda is less than a month past his 21st birthday. Brandon Nakashima just turned 20 . Both young Americans picked up straight-set victories at the Citi Open.

The 12th-seeded Korda, who is coming off a fourth-round run at Wimbledon, moved into the second round at the hard-court event in the nation’s capital by beating Vasek Pospisil of Canada 7-5, 6-4.

Wild-card entry Nakashima, the runner-up in his past two ATP appearances, defeated Alexei Popyrin of Australia 6-3, 6-3 in a first-round match.

Korda next faces No. 5 seed Jannik Sinner of Italy or Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland, while Nakashima’s opponent in the second round will be No. 6 seed Dan Evans of Britain.

Nakashima made it to the championship matches at Los Cabos – losing to Cameron Norrie last month – and Atlanta – losing to John Isner on Sunday – to become the youngest U.S. man to reach multiple tour finals since Andy Roddick made it to seven as a teenager from 2001-02.

Roddick would go on to reach No. 1 in the rankings and win the 2003 U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam title for an American man.

Nakashima credits increased self-belief and an improved serve with helping his recent form.

“It’s always tough, especially when you’re playing the final of one tournament and then having to bounce back the next day, or a couple days later, and play another new tournament against another top player,” said Nakashima, who is from San Diego. “I just try to tell myself to just stay calm out there, just focus on what I do best. All these hard-court matches has helped me with my confidence in my game, knowing that I can compete with all these top guys if I bring my best game out there.”

In other Day 2 action, No. 2 seed Felix Auger-Alissime came back to top Andreas Seppi 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, No. 7 seed Cameron Norrie defeated Marcos Giron 6-4, 6-3, Steve Johnson eliminated Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-3, 7-6 (0), Denis Kudla edged Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3, Tennys Sandgren beat James Duckworth 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 and qualifier Elias Ymer got past Jordan Thompson 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

The tournament’s 2019 champion, Nick Kyrgios, was scheduled to face Mackenzie McDonald on Tuesday night.

Elena Rybakina hits 10 aces in Miami for 12th straight win

Associated PressMar 28, 2023, 9:50 PM EDT

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina extended her winning streak to 12 matches by delivering 10 aces – her fourth consecutive outing with at least that many – in a 6-3, 6-0 victory over 25th-seeded Martina Trevisan in the Miami Open quarterfinals.

Rybakina has 46 aces through four matches at the hard-court tournament in Florida and a WTA-leading 201 this season.

The 23-year-old, who represents Kazakhstan, improved to 20-4 in 2023, including a run to the Australian Open final in January and a title at Indian Wells, California, last week.

She is trying to become only the fifth player to win the women’s trophies at Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. Top-ranked Iga Swiatek did it a year ago; she withdrew from Miami this time because of a rib injury.

“Of course it would be amazing to achieve something like that,” the 10th-seeded Rybakina said about the prospect of completing what’s known as the Sunshine Double, “but it’s still far away.”

So far in Rybakina’s career, 13 of her 18 semifinal appearances have come on hard courts. She will face No. 3 Jessica Pegula for a berth in the final after the American fought off two match points and outlasted No. 27 Anastasia Potapova 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2) in a match that ended just before 1:30 a.m. after play had been delayed by rain.

“I haven’t been that physically tired in just a really long time,” Pegula said. “Just the humidity was taking so much out of me, and I haven’t been able to play in humidity like that in a while. It was just really tough, so really, it was just pure will.”

Trevisan reached the French Open semifinals in 2022.

In fourth-round men’s action Tuesday, No. 2 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was beaten 7-6 (4), 6-4 by No. 14 Karen Khachanov, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner all beat seeded opponents in straight sets.

Alcaraz, who returned to No. 1 in the ATP rankings last week, got past Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-4 to set up a meeting against Fritz, the top-ranked American man and seeded ninth in Miami.

Fritz compiled twice as many winners, 22, as unforced errors, 11, and only dropped serve once during a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 7 Holger Rune. That put Fritz into his first quarterfinal in seven appearances in Miami – and his first matchup against Alcaraz, a 19-year-old from Spain who won the U.S. Open in September for his first Grand Slam title.

“I’m really excited for it,” Fritz said. “I think that a lot of people are really excited for that, too.”

No. 10 Sinner eliminated No. 6 Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 and has yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Sinner’s next opponent will be unseeded Emil Ruusuvuori, a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 winner against No. 26 Botic van de Zandschulp.

No. 4 Daniil Medvedev, forced to start late and off his scheduled court after the rain, beat Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-2. He will face American Christopher Eubanks, who edged Adrian Mannarino in a pair of tiebreakers.

Khachanov will play Francisco Cerundolo, a semifinalist in Miami last year, in the other men’s quarterfinal.

Fritz, Sinner reach Miami Open quarterfinals with 2-set wins

Associated PressMar 28, 2023, 4:31 PM EDT

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner beat seeded opponents in straight sets at the Miami Open to move into the quarterfinals.

No. 9 Fritz compiled twice as many winners, 22, as unforced errors, 11, and only dropped serve once during a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 7 Holger Rune.

That put Fritz, the highest-ranked American man, into his first quarterfinal in seven appearances at the hard-court tournament.

He will face either No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz or Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul next. Alcaraz is the defending champion in Miami.

No. 10 Sinner eliminated No. 6 Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 and has yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Sinner’s next opponent will be No. 26 Botic van de Zandschulp or unseeded Emil Ruusuvuori.