(VIDEO) "He's a good looking guy": Sebastian Korda embraces hilarious interview slip-up after beating Cobolli

Sebastian Korda reached his first ATP Tour final in over a year after defeating third seed Flavio Cobolli 7-6(1), 6-1 in the semi-finals of the Delray Beach Open. The victory sets up an all-American final, with Learner Tien or Tommy Paul awaiting him on Sunday. The American combined technical precision on the court with an unexpectedly humorous moment during the on-court interview, which quickly went viral.

The interview became particularly memorable when the reporter made an obvious error: “You played Flavio three times and you had sex… success with him, all three times. Why is that you had such success against him?”. The journalist took the mistake in good humor, and it was clear her intention was to ask about the favorable head-to-head record (3-0) in favor of the American.

Korda laughed and clarified the context immediately: “He’s a good looking guy.” Less than a year ago, the two had paired in doubles at the Rome Open, falling in the first round to second seeds Henri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.

On court, Korda showed dominance from the first point. He hit 12 aces, won 82% of his second-serve points, and did not face a single break point throughout the 76-minute match. Cobolli struggled to generate rhythm against Korda’s consistent baseline control, which included aggressive returns and well-timed approach shots that kept the Italian pinned behind the baseline.

Delray Beach has traditionally been a productive venue for Korda. According to the ATP Win/Loss Index, he now owns a 10-2 record at the tournament, including a final appearance in 2021, where he fell to Hubert Hurkacz. With this semi-final win, Korda improves his career record against top-20 opponents on hard courts and reinforces his status as one of the rising American talents on tour.

The victory also adds valuable ranking points for Korda, who is currently aiming to re-enter the ATP Top 50 after a challenging season marked by injuries and inconsistent results. His performance in Delray Beach demonstrates both his resilience and ability to perform in front of a home crowd.

Korda attributed his success to solid serving and improved returns, explaining: “I think it was a great match. I think I served pretty well," the 25-year-old American mentioned. "I didn't have too many pressure situations on my serve, and that opens up the returns. I think I played a great tie-breaker, and then after that, I just started feeling the ball a little bit better, returning a little better and put some pressure on him.”

The first set was decided in a tie-break 7-6(1), after which Korda assumed control of the match. He broke Cobolli early in the second set and consolidated his lead to close out the match in just 76 minutes, demonstrating his ability to maintain intensity after critical points.

Looking ahead, Korda will face either fourth seed Learner Tien or fifth seed Tommy Paul, guaranteeing an all-American final on home soil. “That's where you want to be, especially here in the States,” added the former top-15 player. “You want these American finals, and it's definitely going to be an American final, so it's going to be exciting for sure.”