Frances Tiafoe’s profitable run on grass was ended by Sebastian Korda in an all-American second-round match on the Queen’s Club Championships.
Korda received 7-6 (2), 6-3 to finish the fourth-seeded Tiafoe’s bid to observe up his title in Stuttgart final week with one other grass-court trophy forward of Wimbledon.
Tiafoe arrived in west London in a career-high spot of No. 10 however was crushed by a compatriot 22 locations decrease within the rankings, with Korda’s massive serve coming to the fore on Centre Court.
That was particularly the case when serving for the match because the 22-year-old Korda despatched down three aces — together with one on match level — to get previous the second spherical of a match for the primary time since reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals in January.
Korda sustained a wrist damage within the final eight in Melbourne and had round three months out. Since returning, he has performed three occasions — all on clay — and exited within the second spherical every time.
The first-set tiebreaker proved key and was dominated by Korda, principally due to Tiafoe’s errors. Tiafoe slipped to fall 3-1 down and dropped a second straight level on serve by sending a backhand volley into the web for 4-1. Then he double-faulted to go 6-2 down and hit a forehand lengthy on Korda’s first set level.
Korda will subsequent play British No. 1 and fifth-seeded Cameron Norrie, who rallied to beat Jordan Thompson of Australia 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Holger Rune of Denmark is warming to grass, choosing up his second straight win on the floor by dispatching Britain’s Ryan Peniston 6-3, 6-4.
The second-seeded Rune had by no means received on grass as knowledgeable earlier than this week, having misplaced within the first spherical thrice final yr — together with at Wimbledon.
Sixth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy was a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 winner over Ben Shelton, one other Australian Open quarterfinalist and the 2022 NCAA champion from Florida.
Musetti and Rune will meet within the quarterfinals.
Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz is in second-round motion on Thursday.
