"Rock of our family"- Sebastian Korda recalls memories with mother and how she shaped his tennis while father Petr focused on sister Jessica's golf
Sebastian Korda recently recalled learning tennis from his mother Regina Rajchrtova while his father Petr Korda traveled around with his elder sister Jessica who plays golf. Korda's parents have a professional background in tennis as Petr is a former Australian Open champion and Regina is a former World No. 26.
Petr competed on the tour between 1987 and 2005. He won the Australian Open singles title in 1998 and doubles in 1996, achieving a career-high ranking of two and ten, respectively.
Regina comparatively enjoyed less success on the tour as her best Grand Slam singles results were fourth-round finishes at the US Open in 1989 and 1991. In the doubles, she reached as far as the quarterfinals of the French Open in 1990.
Petr and Regina's kids have continued with their legacy in sports as their first daughter Jessica Korda plays on the LGPA Tour since 2011, their second daughter Nelly Korda is an Olympic gold medalist (Tokyo) golfer, and their son Sebastian is the 2018 Australian Open junior champion.
Sebastian Korda is currently in Washington for the 2024 Mubadala Citi DC Open. He recently addressed a press conference there and credited his mother Regina for teaching him tennis early in his life when his father Petr focused on Jessica's career.
"I'd say my mom basically shaped my technique and the way that I play tennis in a way. Growing up, my oldest sister was just on the LPGA Tour, and my dad was her caddie for the first two or three years. He traveled most of the year with my older sister," Korda said.
He continued:
"I would spend a bunch of time with my mom on the tennis court. She definitely shaped the way I play tennis. She's incredible. She's kind of the rock of our family. She keeps us all grounded. She knows how special it is to play a professional sport."
Sebastian Korda reaches Mubadala Citi DC Open 2R in singles
Sebastian Korda has already reached the second round of the Citi Open on the back of a bye in the first. He has entered the singles main draw as the fourth seed.
He will face the winner of the first-round fight between Russia's Aslan Karatsev and Chile's Cristian Garin. Karatsev and Garin are scheduled to lock horns on Monday, July 29.
Sebastian Korda is competing in the doubles draw in Washington as well, where he has teamed up with compatriot Alex Michelsen. The duo will face seventh seeds pair of Julian Cash and Robert Galloway in the first round.