Sebastian Korda

[Kamileki]

Korda Moving Forward: #NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda will attempt to continue his ascent up the FedEx ATP Rankings this week in Germany, where he won an ATP Challenger Tour title in Eckental last November. The 20-year-old, who will play qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan in the first round, is World No. 65, three spots off his career-high mark. He recently made his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final in Miami.

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[Damian]

By Following His Own Path, Korda Is On Track For Milan

Spoiler:

American is third in the ATP Race To Milan
Since his breakthrough run to the Round of 16 at Roland Garros last year, Sebastian Korda has claimed two ATP Challenger Tour titles, reached his maiden ATP Tour championship match and cracked the Top 100 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Alongside fellow #NextGenATP stars Jannik Sinner, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Lorenzo Musetti, the American has already made his mark on the ATP Tour this season. Korda believes one of the keys to his early-season success has been his individuality.

“I have been doing my own thing,” said Korda. “Almost everyone went to Australia to play qualifying and I chose a different path. For my development, it was super big to get a lot of matches under my belt, especially after two months of pre-season which is unusual for us. So far, it has worked out and hopefully I can keep the momentum.”

How To Watch

As part of one of the most successful families in sport, Korda is not immediately known for his individuality. As the son of former World No. 2 Petr Korda and former WTA Top 30 player Regina Kordova, and the brother of Top 25 LPGA golf stars Nelly Korda and Jessica Korda, Sebastian’s achievements are often presented in the wider context of his family.

When asked to define what makes him different from the rest of his family, Korda highlighted how the path he has taken to find success has shaped him as a person.

“I enjoy the little things a little more than most people,” said Korda. “I have been at the lowest tournaments and that has helped me appreciate things a lot more. My sisters jumped right into it. I wasn’t at the top as fast as everyone else, so I think I appreciate things a little bit more.”

Korda Siblings

Aside from the obvious advantages of growing up in a successful sporting family, Korda noted that the success of his sisters has often provided him with the extra motivation he has needed to climb the FedEx ATP Rankings. The Florida native reached a career-high No. 62 on 12 April.

“[Their success] definitely motivates me. My sister won a tournament the week before I won a tournament, so I was watching her and seeing how fired up she got. It motivated me to play better and she is a big help,” said Korda. “I think me winning a tournament and my older sister winning a tournament motivated my other sister, Nelly, to win her tournament. There is family competition, a little bit and we push each other.”

When he is not watching his sisters make waves on the golf course, Korda can often be found watching his own sport. The Delray Beach runner-up is a keen student of the game and has taken great inspiration from Rafael Nadal, the man who ended his run to the Round of 16 at Roland Garros last year. After their maiden ATP Head2Head meeting in Paris, Korda received a signed match shirt from Nadal.

“I watch a lot of tennis. Pretty much every single day I am watching something on TV,” said Korda. “There is always a lot of inspiration, especially from a guy like Nadal. He has always been an inspiration for me [with] the way he carries himself on court, how professional he is and how humble he is. It is a big inspiration for me. Hopefully he can keep playing tennis. I’d love to get another opportunity to be able to play him.”


One of the events that has caught Korda’s attention on TV has been the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. This year, the two-time ATP Challenger Tour titlist will attempt to become the fourth American to qualify for the innovative 21-and-under event.

“I would always watch [the tournament] on TV. [There have been] some incredible matches,” said Korda. “One of my favourite years was when Sinner won. He was playing some incredible tennis and that propelled his career.”

Korda’s impressive start to 2021 has put him in a strong position to qualify for the tournament. The 6’5” right-hander is currently in third position in the ATP Race To Milan.

“I’d love to play Milan,” said Korda. “It would be super awesome and it would definitely be a reward for having a good year and a lot of the hard work I am putting in. If I get the opportunity to play in Milan, it would be really cool.”

You May Also Like: Q1 Review: #NextGenATP Quartet Lead The Way To Milan
Korda is not the only American chasing one of seven automatic qualification positions for the tournament. Jenson Brooksby (fifth) and Brandon Nakashima (ninth) are also in the running. Korda and Nakashima played two doubles events as a team last year, including the Western & Southern Open.

“I am pretty good friends with Brandon Nakashima,” said Korda. “We’ve played some doubles as well and we’ll try to play some doubles in the future. He is a super nice person and he is a little bit like me, serious on court and then off the court, he is a really nice guy that I have got to know pretty well. Hopefully, we can play some more doubles together and have a good friendship.”

Aside from a spot in the Milan field, Korda has further targets for 2021 and beyond. While his biggest wish may have to wait for a future season, the American has his sights set on a FedEx ATP Rankings milestone this year.

“I’d love to win a Grand Slam this year, but there is a lot of road ahead,” said Korda. “One of my biggest goals is to finish the year [in the] Top 50.”

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[Damian]

[Bombardiero]

[Kamileki]

[Damian]

Korda Beats Herbert To Advance In Lyon

Spoiler:

Sebastian Korda outlasted rainy skies and a tough Pierre-Hugues Herbert to advance 7-6(5), 6-4 at the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon on Monday. In the second round, he awaits the winner of seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and Lorenzo Musetti.

Rain stopped the match at 5-4 in the second set, and Korda returned to the court to capatalise on his first match point, breaking Herbert for the third time. With the win, Korda snapped a four-match losing streak dating back to his quarter-final run at the Miami Open presented by Itau. At World No. 65, the #NextGenATP star is just three spots shy of his career-high FedEx ATP Ranking.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/korda-lyon-2021-monday

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Kamileki]

Korda Time: Korda broke through last year at Roland Garros by storming to the Round of 16. Will the American have another successful run on clay this week in Italy, where he could play top seed Sonego in the second round? Korda snapped a four-match losing streak last week in Lyon with a victory against Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Earlier in the year, the 20-year-old made his first Masters 1000 quarter-final in Miami.

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[Bombardiero]

[Damian]

[Damian]

Korda Clinches Shot At Sonego In Parma

Spoiler:

The American breaks serve four times to advance
Andreas Seppi had revenge on his mind on Tuesday at the Emilia-Romagna Open, but Sebastian Korda wouldn’t let the home favourite get it, defeating the veteran 6-3, 6-4.

The American, who also beat Seppi in four sets at Roland Garros last year, advanced to the second round, in which he will play top seed Lorenzo Sonego for a spot in the quarter-finals.

“I’m excited. It’s another great experience for me. He’s playing some really good tennis,” Korda said in his on-court interview. “He made the semi-finals of Rome, which is massive. looking forward to it and hope that it’s going to be a good match.”


Seppi had not competed since March and Korda took advantage, breaking the Italian’s serve four times to triumph after one hour and 22 minutes. The #NextGenATP star has now won five of his six sets against the former World No. 18.

Korda lost his serve twice in the second set, but he was able to overcome those tough moments and avoid going to a decider. After grabbing the deciding break at 4-4, the 20-year-old got a visit from the trainer to look at his upper left leg. But Korda had no problem serving out the match, hitting a perfect forehand lob to earn his first match point, which he converted when Seppi missed a return.

How To Watch

In other action, lucky loser Norbert Gombos battled past Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3 after two hours and 53 minutes. The Slovakian will try to upset third seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the next round.

Czech lefty Jiri Vesely also moved on by eliminating American Steve Johnson 7-6(7), 6-2.

Did You Know?
In his Roland Garros debut last year, Korda qualified — including a final-round qualifying victory against Aslan Karatsev — and reached the fourth round of the main draw.

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[Damian]

ATP Parma 2021 QF:

60 Guido Pella 1114
61 Sebastian Korda 1084
62 Feliciano López 1072

[Bombardiero]

[Damian]

[Damian]

Korda Finds Another Level To Topple Sonego In Parma

Spoiler:

Nishioka defeats #NextGenATP Musetti
#NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda raised his level on Wednesday to take down top seed Lorenzo Sonego 6-1, 7-5 and reach the Emilia-Romagna Open quarter-finals.

The 20-year-old arrived in Parma with just one clay-court win under his belt this season, but he has found his rhythm in northern Italy after defeating Andreas Seppi in the opening round. Up against another Italian, Internazionali BNL d'Italia semi-finalist Sonego, Korda saved all six break points faced to claim the victory.

“I had a really tough opponent, but I had a good game plan and it worked out really well for me,” Korda said in an on-court interview. “It’s an incredible win, he’s been playing some amazing tennis on the clay this year. He’s beaten me earlier this year, so I’m super happy with the win.”

You May Also Like: By Following His Own Path, Korda Is On Track For Milan
Korda was nearly untouchable in the one-sided opening set, reeling off the first five games before Sonego found his footing. The American faced five break points at 4-0, but some big first serves bailed him out of trouble. In the second set, Sonego raised his level stayed on serve with Korda, powering his way to a set point on Korda’s serve at 5-4. But the American responded in kind, and broke in the next game to take a 6-5 lead before serving out his spot in the quarter-finals.

The American will next face eighth seed Yoshihito Nishioka, who needed an hour and 21 minutes to take down #NextGenATP Lorenzo Musetti in a hard-fought 6-3, 6-2 battle.

“I knew today was going to be [a] very, very tough match,” Nishioka said in his on-court interview. “I know that he played a very good tournament last week, so I know he was tired as well, mentally as well. It was not his best performance, but there were many close games and many deuces. This was a 3 and 2 [win], but it was a very tough match today.”


The Japanese lefty held his nerve after trailing by a break twice in the opening set, raising his level to win the last five games in a row. He weathered the 19-year-old Italian’s full range of variety – and came up with some magic of his own – to save six break points across two tight games in the second set before closing out the victory.

Lucky loser Norbert Gombos scored the upset of the day to knock out third seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas. The Slovakian saved 10 of 13 break points he faced to seal the 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-2 win after nearly two hours and 40 minutes. He will face wild card Marco Cecchinato after the Italian defeated seventh seed Aljaz Bedene 7-5, 6-2.

How To Watch

Jaume Munar booked a quarter-final clash with Richard Gasquet after moving past second seed Benoit Paire 7-5, 3-1 (ret). Munar needed 65 minutes to edge through the tightly contested opening set and worked his way to a break lead in the second before the Frenchman retired due to illness. He will take on another Frenchman in fifth seed Gasquet, who took down Spanish qualifier Pedro Martinez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Also in action, fourth seed Jan-Lennard Struff defeated Italian wild card Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(2). He will meet sixth seed Tommy Paul, who needed two hours and 48 minutes to move past Jiri Vesely 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-3.

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[Bombardiero]

[Damian]

[Damian]

Korda Sets All-American Parma SF Against Paul

Spoiler:

Sebastian Korda set an all-American semi-final against Tommy Paul after taking down eighth seed Yoshihito Nishioka on Thursday at the Emilia-Romagna Open.

The #NextGenATP American dropped serve only once en route to a 6-3, 6-3 victory. After defeating Andreas Seppi and top seed Lorenzo Sonego in the opening rounds, Korda has now booked his spot into his first tour-level clay-court semi-final in Parma.

“I played a great match. I know he has been playing really good tennis, he reached the semi-final in Lyon [last week],” Korda said in an on-court interview. “But it’s my first semi-final on clay and I’m super happy.”

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Korda stayed aggressive throughout the match, and took control of the rallies with his big serve. He created nine break opportunities across both sets, converting on four occasions. In the first set, he took a 3-0 lead with an early break and never looked back.

But Nishioka, who defeated #NextGenATP Lorenzo Musetti on his way to the quarter-finals, struck back in the second set after once again dropping his first service game. He levelled the score at 1-1, but it would be his only look at break points during the match. Korda lost only two points on his serve in the next seven games, and reeled off the last four games to seal the victory after an hour and 21 minutes.

Korda will meet Paul in the semi-finals after the sixth seed took down Jan-Lennard Struff 6-2, 6-4. It will be the pair’s second tour-level meeting after Korda came back from a set down to win their Delray Beach battle in January on his way to the final (l. Hurkacz).

How To Watch

“I’m really good friends with Tommy,” Korda said. “We practise 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.”

Elsewhere in Parma, Jaume Munar and Italian wild card Marco Cecchinato will meet for a spot in the final after cruising through their own quarter-final battles.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/korda-p ... 1-thursday

[Bombardiero]

ATP Parma 21 SF:

58 Dominik Köpfer 1134
59 Sebastian Korda 1129
60 Jérémy Chardy 1123