Korda Triumphs at Hangzhou Open, Sets Up Match Against Local Star

Hangzhou, China – Sebastian Korda marked his return to the tennis court with a strong victory in the first round of the Lynk & Co Hangzhou Open on Friday. The 25-year-old American, who faced a series of injuries this year, defeated Walton with a score of 7-5, 6-3.

Korda began the match with a rough start, dropping his serve in the opening game. However, he quickly regained his composure, winning four consecutive games from a 3-5 deficit in the first set. He finished the match with an impressive 20 aces, completing it in just 87 minutes.

“It was a tough match. He started off great…I didn’t start off too well, but I kept my composure as much as I could,” Korda said after the match. “I thought I served really well, and when you serve well it’s a lot easier, so I’m very happy with the performance today.”

Korda’s journey in 2025 has been challenging, as he previously had a right shin stress fracture that sidelined him for two and a half months. He made his return in Winston-Salem but withdrew from his semi-final match. With this victory, Korda moves into the second round of the tournament. His next opponent is a Chinese wild card.

Initially ranked No. 22 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Korda has fallen to No. 79, holding a 15-11 record this year. Earlier in the season, he reached the final in Adelaide and the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami.

Other players advancing on Friday included Australian qualifier Hijikata, who secured a narrow victory over the fifth seed with a score of 7-6(2), 6-4.

Royer, another competitor, also progressed by overcoming his opponent 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3, setting up a second-round clash with the tournament’s top seed. Meanwhile, another player ended a five-match losing streak by winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, and is set to face the third seed next.