Sebastian Korda Handles Shanghai Breakout Valentin Vacherot in Brisbane

Event

Brisbane International 2026

January 4, 2026 · Brisbane, Australia

Show Court 1

The Result

Sebastian Korda opened his 2026 season with a straight-sets win over Valentin Vacherot, defeating the Shanghai Masters champion 7–6(1), 6–3 to move into the round of 16 in Brisbane.

The match was tighter than the scoreline suggests, particularly early, but Korda’s serving and consistency proved decisive.

What Actually Happened

The opening set was dominated by serve. Both players protected their delivery comfortably, with Vacherot doing well to escape a critical moment at 0–40 midway through the set. That hold kept him level, but it also marked the turning point.

In the tiebreak, Korda raised his level sharply. He returned more aggressively, applied pressure on Vacherot’s second serve, and raced through the breaker 7–1, taking control of the match without overplaying.

Vacherot responded in the second set by finally breaking serve, capitalizing on a loose Korda service game to move ahead 3–1. The momentum shift was brief. Korda broke back immediately, cleaned up his service games, and began dictating rallies with deeper, flatter groundstrokes.

From there, the match settled. Korda created more opportunities, forced errors at key moments, and closed cleanly without needing a deciding set.

Why It Mattered

For Korda, this was an encouraging start after another injury-disrupted season. His movement looked sharp, his serve held up under pressure, and he handled momentum swings without frustration — all positive signs heading into the Australian Open.

For Vacherot, the match was a reminder that expectations change quickly. Just months removed from a historic Shanghai run that took him from outside the top 200 into the top 30, he now carries the weight of being the player others measure themselves against.

This wasn’t a poor performance, but it showed how narrow the margins become when opponents are steady, patient, and willing to wait for openings.

One Thing to Watch Next

Korda’s biggest question remains durability. If his body holds, performances like this suggest he can build rhythm early in the season.

For Vacherot, the next phase is adjustment — learning how to win when opponents no longer blink first.

(Speculative)

Match Details

• Winner: Sebastian Korda
• Score: 7–6(1), 6–3
• Court: Hard
• Duration: 1h 27m