Sebastian Korda is a professional tennis player from the United States and the single most significant prospect for the future of American men’s tennis.
He is the only male US competitor to make it beyond the third round of Wimbledon in 2021. Sam Querrey, a semi-finalist in 2018, crashed out in the second round against James Duckworth, 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2.
The top-ranked US player, Reilly Opelka, was seeded for the first time at the competition but eliminated in straight sets in round one by Dominik Koepfer of Germany. John Isner, also seeded, went out as well in round one, whilst Taylor Fritz bravely soldiered into round three before his defeat at the hands of Alexander Zverev.
That left Korda as the only male US player still battling for the title going into week two. The unseeded 21-year-old from Bradenton, Florida, defeated Dan Evans of Great Britain in round three to make it to the final week and was delighted to do so: “It’s a big achievement,” he is reported as saying by Tennis World USA. “A year ago, I was 220 in the world, and I’m here in the fourth round at Wimbledon. It’s incredible. I have my family to thank, my coaches and everybody around me”.
According to Bwin, his performances made him favorite for his fourth-round tie with Karen Khachanov, although he did fluff his lines and eventually lose, on his birthday, to the Russian in an epic match.
That tie finished 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 7-5 before a classic final set which saw him go down 8-10. Despite that setback, he will still be remembered as the only US player to get through to week two and is likely to see his potential earnings rise due to his success as he becomes the poster boy for US tennis.
What is Korda worth, and is he likely to trouble some of the wealthiest players in the world? Here is all you need to know about the new kid on the court.
Date of Birth: 5 July 2000
Height: 6ft 5in (1.96m)
Nationality: American
Endorsements: Adidas, Motorola, Wilson
Net Worth: $1.16 million
Prize money: $676,957
Siblings: Two sisters, golf professionals Nelly and Jessica Korda
Sebastian Korda is the son of former tennis professional Petr Korda, who represented the Czech Republic. Petr also coaches his son and was a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 1998, losing to Tim Henman. Petr’s best Grand Slam finish came in 1998 when he won the Australian Open, defeating Marcelo Rios 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in the final.
Sebastian Korda’s mother is also a former tennis professional, Regina Rajchrtová. She had modest success on the singles circuit, making round four of the US Open in 1989 and 1991, losing first to Martina Navratilova and to Monica Seles in ‘91. She also reached the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles of the French Open in 1990.
Sebastian is now poised to see his net worth increase dramatically as a result of his Wimbledon heroics. His previous best tournament finish was round four of the French Open in 2020, where he lost to Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. Heading into Wimbledon, the young star was ranked 50th in the world, but that will surely change once the competition is concluded.
He currently wears Adidas on the court, plays with a Wilson racquet, and recently signed a Motorola partnership. With his value increasing, expect to see further high-profile endorsements and partnerships in the coming months.
