Boy oh boy: Korda clan success is in the blood
When Sebastian Korda struck his last competitive shot as a 20-year-old — an overhead winner that closed out a thirdround victory over Wimbledon’s No 22 seed yesterday — the American raised both arms, then doubled over and rested his hands on his knees.
Up in a Centre Court guest box, the body language of his father, 1998 Australian Open champion Petr, was strikingly similar. Arms in the air, then leaning forward, reaching for the railing in front of his seat.
The younger Korda’s family bloodlines are serving him rather well. He is the son of two former professional tennis players — he credits his mother, Regina Rajchrtova, with teaching him to be calm on court — and the brother of two stars in women’s golf, one of whom, Nelly, is ranked No 1 and just won her first major.
Now, Sebastian Korda is looking as if he could be the men’s tennis star his country has been awaiting for quite some time.
With an aggressive style built for grass courts, Korda got past Britain’s Dan Evans 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to become the youngest US man to reach the round of 16 at the All England Club since Andy Roddick got to the semifinals in 2003.
“A big achievement,” Korda called it. “Incredible.”
His father’s take? Essentially: Not so fast. “It’s not over,” Dad said. “Let’s not celebrate until this is done.”
Any parent whose kids play sports at any level could relate, really, as Petr squirmed in his spot in the stands.
“It was nerve-wracking. I tell you, honestly, it’s easier to be on the golf course, because I can walk always,” he said, referring to watching his two daughters compete. “But with Sebi, I had to be sitting still, you know? That’s not easy.”
One tiny measure of how quickly his son is developing: He is only the eighth man since 2001 to reach the fourth round at the All England Club and Roland Garros before turning 21.
Of the other seven, four went on to be ranked No 1 and win multiple Grand Slam titles: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Lleyton Hewitt. Another won one major (Marin Cilic), and the other two were Grand Slam runners-up (Stefanos Tsitsipas, still only 22 himself, and Tomas Berdych).
Roddick’s triumph at the 2003 US Open remains the most recent Grand Slam singles title for an American man, the longest drought in history for a nation that produced Bill Tilden, Arthur Ashe, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
Agassi is a mentor of sorts for Korda; they spent two weeks working together in Las Vegas late last year and speak on the phone frequently.
Korda is making his Wimbledon debut and participating in a Grand Slam tournament for only the third time. He made a splash at the French Open last year by getting to the fourth round before losing to his idol, Nadal (Korda’s cat is named after the 20-time major champion).
Korda showed off a useful serve he varies well, groundstrokes that are strong off both sides and a desire to go to the net, where he won the point on 30 of 43 trips.
“All credit to him. He played some strong tennis,” said Evans, Britain’s top player, who was backed by a partisan crowd but found himself muttering towards his coach and cursing enough to earn an official warning. “He’s obviously going to be a very good player.”
On Tuesday, which is Korda’s 21st birthday, he will face No 25 seed Karen Khachanov, a Russian who eliminated Frances Tiafoe of the US in straight sets yesterday.
“I played a little tight. I knew it was a good opportunity,” said Tiafoe, who beat No 3 seed Tsitsipas in the first round but now has lost to Khachanov at Wimbledon twice since 2018. “I just wanted to win too bad.”
Other fourth-round match-ups in the top half of the men’s draw established yesterday: No 1 Novak Djokovic against No 17 Cristian Garin, No 5 Andrey Rublev against Marton Fucsovics and No 8 Roberto Bautista Agut against No 10 Denis Shapovalov, who beat Andy Murray in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
“I can’t say that I’m too pleased with the way I performed. I felt like I was a bit off, especially with serving. . . . Generally my serve is a weapon. It wasn’t,” said Djokovic, who was broken twice in a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7) victory over American qualifier Denis Kudla that made him 17-0 in Grand Slam matches this season.
Women’s quarter-final berths will be determined by these contests on Tuesday: No 2 Aryna Sabalenka v No 18 Elena Rybakina, No 7 Iga Swiatek v No 21 Ons Jabeur, No 8 Karolina Pliskova v Liudmila Samsonova and No 23 Madison Keys v Viktorija Golubic.
It’s easier to be on the golf course, because I can walk always. But with Sebi, I had to be sitting still. That’s not easy.
Petr Korda on watching his kids play