Sebastian Korda is the youngest U.S. man to reach a French Open fourth round since Michael Chang in 1991. Next year (or in 2024), the Korda family could achieve something unprecedented at the Olympics.
Korda, 20, beat a fellow main-draw qualifier, Spaniard Pedro Martinez, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 at Roland Garros on Friday. His run in Paris should end on Sunday, given Rafael Nadal is likely his next opponent in the round of 16.
The Korda family has a cat named “Rafa,” according to the ATP.
The Korda name, first made famous by Czech father and 1998 Australian Open champion Petr, also won’t be leaving the sports lexicon any time soon.
Older sisters Nelly, 22, and Jessica, 27, are Nos. 2 and 22 in world golf rankings. At least one of them appears destined for the Tokyo Olympics next year, given a nation can send four golfers per gender to the Games if ranked in the top 15.
If Sebastian can join either of his sisters, they would become the first U.S. brother and sister to compete in the same Olympics in different sports, according to Olympic historian Bill Mallon of the OlyMADMen and Olympedia.org.
FRENCH OPEN DRAWS: Men | Women | TV Schedule
Others competed in the same sport, such as ice dancers Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani in 2014 and 2018.
Others participated in different sports at different Olympics, like LeLei Fonoimoana, a silver medalist swimmer in 1976, and Eric Fonoimoana, a gold medalist in beach volleyball in 2000.
Roger Young and Sheila Young competed in different sports at the Olympics in 1972, though Roger cycled in the Summer Games and Sheila speed skated at the Winter Games.
The Kordas’ dad never competed at the Olympics, but their mom, former pro tennis player Regina Rajchrtova, played for Czechoslovakia at the 1988 Seoul Games. Jessica came close to qualifying for golf’s return to the Olympics in Rio, falling nine spots shy in world rankings.
Sebastian’s potential path to the Olympics is a little more complicated than for his sisters. Normally, his 180 ranking points gained this week, 10 months before the Games, would be a boost in Olympic qualifying.
But, since Olympic tennis qualifying uses world rankings immediately after the 2021 French Open, the 2020 French Open results will not factor into who goes to Tokyo.
And Korda is just breaking into the top level of senior tennis, so he has few other significant, point-accumulating results.
He would need a very strong start to 2021 to break into the mix, not out of the question given his success in his second Grand Slam main draw this week.
The U.S. can send four male singles players to the Olympics, assuming they are among the 64 worldwide qualifiers.
Veterans John Isner and Sam Querrey indicated in January they were at least leaning toward skipping the Tokyo Games, opening opportunities for younger U.S. players. That was before the coronavirus pandemic forced the Olympic postponement to 2021.
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Sebastian Korda is on a French Open run. Is Olympic history in his family’s future? originally appeared on NBCSports.com
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