'Super happy' Korda topples Isner to reach Delray Beach semi-finals

Former junior world number one battled back to book his first ATP semi-final in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory

CANBERRA:

Sebastian Korda kept his nerve to topple second-seeded John Isner 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Monday and reach the semi-finals of the ATP Delray Beach Open in Delray Beach, Florida.

Korda, ranked 119th in the world, was serving for the match when he fell behind 0-40 against his big-serving compatriot.

But the former junior world number one battled back to book his first ATP semi-final in one hour and 51 minutes.

"I was super-happy with how I played that whole game," Korda said of the clincher. "I mean, he played an incredible first three points.

"The way he played those, I was like, 'Too good.' I couldn't really do anything. He came to the net, he played big balls, he played a super-good three points.

"I just stuck with it, I got a little bit more aggressive," said the 20-year-old, who will play Britain's Cameron Norrie for a place in the final.

Norrie ousted 2018 champion Frances Tiafoe 6-0, 3-6, 6-4.

"He fought real hard, and I managed to get a little bit lucky in the third set there with a couple netcords and a couple close calls," Norrie said. "Real fortunate to get through."

Christian Harrison's fairytale run continued with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 semi-final victory over Italian Gianluca Mager.

Harrison, ranked 789th in the world, had toppled Chilean top seed Cristian Garin to reach the quarter-finals and said it felt "pretty amazing" to find himself in the last four.

His three match wins this week already exceed the two tour-level victories he had coming into the event, and he'll try to add another when he takes on fourth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz for a place in the final.

Poland's Hurkacz advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ecuador's Roberto Quiroz.