Sebastian Korda is forced to retire from Australian Open quarter-final with wrist injury

Sebastian Korda withdrew with a wrist injury during his Australian Open clash with Karen Khachanov, sending the Russian to a second straight Grand Slam semifinal.

American Korda has been one of the stories of the tournament, defeating Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz to reach the quarter-finals for the first time 25 years after his father Petr lifted the trophy.

But he began to struggle midway through the second set, was given a medical timeout, and after losing seven games in a row, retired trailing 7-6(5) 6-3 3-0.

Sebastian Korda withdrew with a wrist injury during their Australian Open quarterfinal clash

He sent Karen Khachanov (right) to a second straight Grand Slam semifinal.

It was a very disappointing way to retire for the 22-year-old, who was clearly uncomfortable and was reduced to cutting forehands in a vain attempt to find a way to get back into the match.

Having reached the quarterfinals in a slam for the first time in his 23rd major tournament at the US Open last summer, Khachanov is now back on the same stage at his next event.

“Back to back semifinals in a slam feels great,” said the Russian. ‘Obviously not the way you want to end the match. To some extent it was a great battle.’

After the match, the Russian stated that “to some extent it was a great battle.”

It was a disappointing way to retire for the 22-year-old who had defeated Daniil Medvedev.

Khachanov and Korda met for the first time at a Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2021, and an upside-down contest went all the way to a fifth-set tiebreaker before the Russian overcame him.

This too looked destined to be a close battle, with Korda coming back from a collapse to force a tiebreak in the first set and then starting the second strongly.

But he called the coach after five games to have his right wrist bandaged, and he didn’t win another game.