PREVIEW | 2023 Astana Open Final as KORDA aims for first title since return against MANNARINO
ATPTuesday, 03 October 2023 at 12:32
After a
challenging year, Sebastian Korda finds himself in an ATP final again and will
face Adrian Mannarino in the title match at the Astana Open.
Route to
the Final – Sebastian Korda:
Following a
tough year, Sebastian Korda (25th) had a lengthy three-month absence due to an
injury suffered in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, just two weeks
after reaching the final of the Adelaide Open.
While he
has been inconsistent since his return, this week he showed that he is on the
right track, advancing through a challenging path in Astana. He secured
victories over Alexei Popyrin, Nuno Borges, Tallon Griekspoor, and Hamad
Medjedovic.
In the
semifinals, he survived a tight three-set battle where Medjedovic pushed Korda
to the limit. Korda eventually clinched the victory with a score of 6-7(8),
7-6(2), 7-6(3). This marks Korda's sixth final on the Tour, with one title and
five runner-up finishes. It presents a new opportunity for him to lift a
trophy, the first since the 2021 Parma Open.
Route to
the Final – Adrian Mannarino:
Experienced
Mannarino continues to have a strong season, having already won one title and
reached a final. He has also maintained a position above the top 40 for the
past few months.
The
Frenchman lost only one set on his way to the final, defeating Arthur
Rinderknech, Alibek Kachmazov, Jurij Rodionov, and Sebastian Ofner. Mannarino,
at 35 years old, is playing in his 14th career final, with three titles and ten
runner-up finishes. He particularly excelled on grass this year, claiming the
Newport Open title and finishing as the runner-up in the Mallorca Open against
Christopher Eubanks.
Read also
Head to
Head – Korda vs. Mannarino
The Astana
final will feature an unprecedented clash, as contenders Korda and Mannarino
have never faced each other in a match. However, they arrive with notable
differences in court time.
Korda
played three of his four matches that went to three sets and encountered six
tie-breaks so far, winning four of them. The North American logged a total of
eight hours and 51 minutes on the court in the last four days, with nearly
three hours spent in the semifinals.
On the
other hand, Mannarino played for 7 hours and 9 minutes, and his last match
lasted only one hour and 10 minutes, which is less than half of Korda's match.
Nevertheless,
Korda has shown physical strength and comfort on hard courts. If he maintains
his physical condition, the outcome of the match may depend on the performance
of the young American, while Mannarino will rely on his strong serve.
Prediction –
Korda in three sets
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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- Big Babe Tennis! Hoping for a good final.DaveyWavey12-09-2026
- Director needs to return to his old "job" at the Australia Open. He's clueless in NYC.
mandoist12-09-2026 - You keep writing ridiculous crap... why are you even watching tennis?mandoist12-09-2026
- They probably have a very good reason for this. I do not get it. Annoying that it finishes so late
AceOfBase12-09-2026 - I hope he wins. Would be great to have a USA winner again with the men.AceOfBase12-09-2026
- I love WTA matches. Seek them out as much as possible on youtube and other platforms I already subscribe to. With that in mind, I do not wish to pay $$$ to a notoriously slippery subscription conglomerate sports broadcaster (like SkySports) just for the privilege to watch it and the tnt/eurosport/discovery subscription went from $$ to $$$+ annually in a blink of an eye. With ATP I have been begrudgingly paying xyz tennis only channel and try to catch up on slams elsewhere (pubs, youtube with USO later on games are just as enjoyable to watch and a smart move to upload on their official channel) but they don't cover WTA. I tried another Tennis dedicated channel that advertised originally as broadcasting where I live, but turned out, they took the money, but didn't cover the matches (only fluff/filler value documentaries). I don't understand why it is so hard to not lock the live matches to one broadcaster only refusing so many people who are happy to pay for the privilege just not through that one entry point. WTA is so exciting for the last few years and they really should capitalise on it as much as possible. And I know it is somewhat naive talking without knowing the inner works, but not being able to find any WTA other than youtube (and then only highlights mostly) is just so frustrating.JayJay11-09-2026
- Clearly not AI :-)AceOfBase11-09-2026
- Oh my God!! Does anyone proofread these pages??? Case in point: However, the question mark over the 32-years-old head......???? No! No! No! However, the question mark over the 32-year-old's head...good grief man, hire a proofreader. This article is rife with errors making some sentences very difficult to read. I had to stop. I am a proofreader hence my disgust.Rapunzel10-09-2026
- Iga needs to make a decision whether she wants to continue the sport of tennis or pursue whatever she has going on in her personal life. One can tell that tennis is no longer an interest of hers. She should retire while she is on top, not when she slides to the bottom of the rankings. She has too much talent to look how she does on the court these days. She looks more like a wild card than a champion.crissy09-09-2026
- Looks like tennis has become a part of the American Oligarchy. As usual, Pegula is given a cupcake draw. With all her money, they have to fixed the draws in her favor in order to raised the trophy.crissy09-09-2026
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