The 21 & Under Club in '21: Sebastian Korda

Will turn 22 on

• 7/5/2022

What he’s done since last summer

• First ATP title (Parma)
• First Masters 1000 quarterfinal (2021 Miami Open)
• First Grand Slam fourth round (2020 Roland Garros)

Key Stat

• Korda has moved up nearly 200 spots in the rankings since the start of 2020.

Channeling the exuberance of father, coach, and former world No. 2 Petr Korda, 20-year-old Sebastian scissor-kicked through the doors onto the ATP circuit. Korda is the youngest of an athletic family; while elder sisters Jessica and Nelly chose golf, “Sebi” followed his parents into tennis, crediting his mental game to mother and former WTA pro Regina Rajchrtova.

"Ever since I was a kid my mom was big into having a poker face on court and not showing any negative emotions,” he said at the Miami Open. “I have her to thank for that, because I think it's a really big strength for me that the opponent doesn't really know what's happening on the other side of the court."

Flanked not only by a strong family unit but also by mentors like Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, who worked with the young American in Las Vegas over the off-season, there’s seemingly nowhere to go but up. Korda cracked the Top 100 with a run to the Delray Beach Open final at the start of the season and returned to Florida to make the last eight in Miami weeks later.

"This week showed me that I can keep up and play with the biggest names in tennis,” he said ahead of an eagerly-anticipated clay court swing, where he went on to win his first ATP title in Parma.

Proving a player for all surfaces, Korda continues to shine on grass in Halle, where he outlasted Kei Nishikori to reach the quarterfinals.