Roland Garros: Sebastian Korda vs Andreas Seppi preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020
Match details
Fixture: Sebastian Korda vs Andreas Seppi
Date: 27 September 2020
Tournament: Roland Garros 2020
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: Approx €38,000,000
Match timing: 11 am CEST, 2.30 pm I
Live telecast: USA - NBC Sports / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports Select | Europe - Eurosport
Sebastian Korda vs Andreas Seppi preview
Rising American youngster Sebastian Korda will take on Italian veteran Andreas Seppi in the opening round of the 2020 French Open on Sunday.
This is an intriguing match-up, with one player near the start of his career and the other towards the end of his. However, what Andreas Seppi may lack in firepower and physicality, he can more than make up for with his vast experience and knowledge of the game.
The Italian has had a forgettable run of form ever since the restart of the tour amid the pandemic. Despite taking part in Cincinnati, US Open, Generali Open and Rome Masters, Seppi has registered just a single win so far.
The 36-year-old also took part in the Challenger event in Forli, but failed to go past the last eight.
Sebastian Korda, meanwhile, showed some glimpses of his talent during the hard-court swing. The American lost in the opening rounds at both the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open, but not before giving a decent fight to Emil Ruusuvuori and Denis Shapovalov respectively.
More recently, Korda overcame three rounds of qualifying at the French Open. He did that without dropping a set, and as such his transition to clay looks seamless so far.
That said, Andreas Seppi is a crafty operator on clay. The Italian can construct points well on this surface, and he will look to test Korda’s patience in the long-drawn-out rallies.
Sebastian Korda vs Andreas Seppi head-to-head
The head-to-head between Sebastian Korda and Andreas Seppi is currently at 0-0 as they are yet to face each other on the tour.
Sebastian Korda vs Andreas Seppi prediction
Sebastian Korda has a lot of elements in his game that can trouble Andreas Seppi. But the Italian tends to be a good absorber of pace on clay, and is always a tricky customer.
Seppi takes his time in the rallies and uses clever ball placement to dictate the points. He is stronger off his forehand wing, and Korda would look to attack the backhand a lot more.
The American would also try to use his wide crosscourt backhand and open up the court, something that he did very well at the US Open.
Korda boasts of a much stronger first serve than Seppi, which can set up easy points for him. But at the same time, his second delivery is quite feeble and can present Seppi with attacking opportunities.
The Italian boasts of a wealth of experience on this surface, and that should help him give a tough fight to Korda. But ultimately, the Ameican’s superior all-round game should see him through.
Prediction: Sebastian Korda to win in four sets.