Sebastian Korda and Flavio Cobolli will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they battle for the Citi Open title on Sunday. Their only previous encounter did not disappoint; Korda prevailed 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-4 on the red clay of Rome.
Now the roles are reversed in terms of Korda having home-court advantage this time around. However, the change in surface really doesn’t make any difference at all; both guys are skilled on everything.
In fact, Korda’s lone ATP title has come on clay–three years ago at a 250 event in Parma. The 22nd-ranked American is one win away from the biggest title of his career on the heels of Washington, D.C. victories over Cristian Garin, Thanasi Kokkinakis (via third-set retirement), Jordan Thompson, and Frances Tiafoe.
Cobolli took the circuitous route to his first ATP final. After taking care of David Goffin in straight sets, the 48th-ranked Italian beat Alejandro Davidovich and Alex Michelsen in consecutive third-set tiebreakers–the former from five match points down. Cobolli then came back from a set down for a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 upset of Ben Shelton on Saturday night.
There is no denying Korda’s physical talent, but the mental part of his game has been lacking throughout the relatively early stages of his career. That very well could show up again in one of the biggest matches he has ever played. Moreover, the way things have transpired for Cobolli in D.C. it just feels like it’s his week.
Pick: Cobolli in 3
WWW: Korda vs. Cobolli?
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