MELBOURNE: Every time Sebastian Korda walks down the corridors with pillars that have giant posters of former champions, including those of his father Petr and fellow American Andre Agassi, wrapped around them, he pauses for a fist pump.
“Maybe I was just trying to get the energy so I could hit my backhand a little better,” the American world No. 31 said after powering into the Australian Open quarterfinals, his first charge into the lasteight of a major.
The 22-year-old put out 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) in three hours and 28 minutes.
Korda, who said the victory was an early 55th birthday present for his father, who had won the tournament here 25 years ago, will play Russian Karen Khachanov in the last eight.
Korda had the support of the full house, with his coach Radek Stepanek leading the cheers — incidentally, Petr had coached Stepanek.
There were momentum swings galore in the deciding tie-break with the American even winning six consecutive points but Hurkacz levelled before Korda closed with a backhand down-the-line.
“I had a little superstition with the towel. The towel got me through it,” Korda said. “Every time I went to the towel I won the point, so I just kept going to it, my friend in the blue box.”