Sebastian Korda achieved a significant milestone by winning the Washington Open, replicating the feat of his father, Petr Korda, who won the same tournament 32 years ago. This victory marks the first instance in ATP Tour history where both a father and son have won the same event.
Legacy in the Making
Korda secured the title with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Flavio Cobolli. Reflecting on his win, he shared, “I’ve been coming to this tournament since I was a teenager. My dad used to coach Radek Stepanek, who also won here in 2011. We have a lot of history with this tournament. One of my biggest goals was one day coming here and hopefully winning the tournament and putting my name up there on the stadium. This is probably the most special moment of my career so far.”
Breaking a Long-standing Drought for U.S. Tennis
Korda’s triumph makes him the first American to win the Washington Open since Andy Roddick in 2007. As he prepares for the U.S. Open starting on August 26, Korda joins a group of American players aiming to end the country’s 21-year Grand Slam drought since Roddick’s victory at the U.S. Open in 2003. “When someone does a great result, the other guys want to do an even better one,” Korda remarked, having reached a career-high world number 18. “It’s really great that all the Americans are close. All the Americans are playing really great tennis right now. Hopefully, we can make a big push in the coming Grand Slam soon.”
Friendly Rivalry Among U.S. Players
Korda emphasized the camaraderie and competitive spirit among American players, which fuels their drive to succeed. “There is healthy jealousy between us,” he said. “When someone does a great result, the other guys want to do an even better one. It’s really great that all the Americans are close. All the Americans are playing really great tennis right now. Hopefully, we can make a big push in the coming Grand Slam soon.”
Future Prospects
With this victory, Korda has cemented his status as an emerging talent in American tennis. As he heads into the U.S. Open, the tennis community will be keen to see if he can sustain his momentum and potentially end the prolonged wait for an American Grand Slam champion.
