Emilia-Romagna Open: Sebastian Korda to take on Tommy Paul in semi-finals; Marco Cecchinato faces Jaume Munar-Sports News , Firstpost

File image of tennis player Sebastian Korda. AFP

Sebastian Korda beat eighth-seeded Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday to set up an all-American semi-final against Tommy Paul at the Emilia-Romagna Open.

The 63rd-ranked Korda stormed into a 3-0 lead and never looked back as he reached his first clay-court semi-final.

“I played a great match. I know he has been playing really good tennis, he reached the semifinal in Lyon,” the 20-year-old Korda said. “But it’s my first semifinal on clay and I’m super happy.”

Korda next faces the sixth-seeded Paul, who eased past fourth-seeded Jan-Lennard Struff 6-2, 6-4.

“I’m really good friends with Tommy,” Korda said. “We practice together a lot. It’s going to be a really fun match. He’s been playing great, so hopefully it will be a fun one.”

It will be their second tour-level meeting after Korda came back from a set down to beat Paul in Delray Beach in January on his way to the final.

Paul is the only seeded player left in Parma.

The other semi-final pits Marco Cecchinato — the only Italian left in the draw — against Jaume Munar of Spain.

The 80th-ranked Munar routed fifth-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-1 while Cecchinato beat Norbert Gombos 6-3, 6-1.