Sebastian Korda was one of the great protagonists of the Miami Open, where he witnessed the innumerable advances made in recent months. In the first Masters 1000 of the season (thanks to the postponement of Indian Wells), the 20-year-old American reached the quarterfinals, surrendering with honor to fourth seed Andrey Rublev.
His record is now an excellent 10-4 this season, not to mention the final reached in Delray Beach last January (lost to Hurkacz). As almost everyone knows, Sebastian is the son of a former champion: his father Petr won the Australian Open title in 1996, climbing to second in the world rankings.
Korda, who will break into the Top 70 starting Monday, has eliminated opponents of the caliber of Fabio Fognini, Radu Albot, Aslan Karatsev and Diego Schwartzman on his splendid journey through Florida. At the press conference, the American admitted that he no longer feels so distant from top-level players like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Korda: The pandemic has accelerated my growth
“I feel more and more comfortable when I face opponents of high caliber,” confided the current number 87 of the ATP. “This week he showed me that they can express very good tennis and that I can also compare myself with the best players.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are no longer a pipe dream for me. I also had a lot of fun in doubles with my friend Michael Mmoh. Now I hope to be able to confirm my level also on clay ”, he added.
Korda believes that the long hiatus due to last year’s pandemic has facilitated its growth. “The break we had also brought positive implications. It helped me focus on my physique, I did a lot of exercises and luckily I had a tennis court at home.
I feel really fit, thanks also to the results obtained in recent weeks. I will rest for a few days and then I will start preparing for the next tournaments ”, he concluded.
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