The NHL is full of so-called second-generation players. In the final, Keith’s son Matthew Tkachuk led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup, along with Paul’s son Sam Reinhart. Much to the chagrin of Brett Kulak, Oilers defenseman and nephew of former Nordiques star Stu Kulak.
In baseball, the future of the Blue Jays was recently embodied by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio, the sons of Vladimir, Dante and Craig.
In tennis, the phenomenon is much less common, which is why the story of Sebastian Korda is attracting attention these days.
Korda qualified for the quarterfinals of the National Bank Open on Saturday. And while the average fan will immediately think of Alberto Korda, the Cuban photographer behind the famous portrait of Che Guevara, Sebastian Korda is actually the son of Petr Korda, the former world number 2.
Last week, Sebastian Korda triumphed in Washington. In doing so, he and Petr became the first father-son duo to win the same tournament in ATP history. Further evidence of the rarity of second-generation players: now that Sebastian is ranked 18e In the world, he and Petr became the first father-son duo to reach the top 20.
Also in the ATP elite is Norwegian Casper Ruud, whose father, Christian, reached 39e world ranking.
Sebastian Korda seemed puzzled when asked if he had a theory for why there are so few second-generation top athletes in his sport.
“I have no idea,” the lanky player admitted. “My parents were good to us and let us choose what we liked. I played hockey until I was 11, I still have good friends in the NHL. I don’t know why other players’ sons don’t play. But there’s Casper and me, there’s a few of us.”
Of course, the financial aspect probably didn’t hurt him. His father earned more than $10 million during his career. His profile on the ATP website also states that Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi were his “mentors,” the kind of relationship that one might imagine would be harder to access for a young person who didn’t grow up in a tennis family.
Rapid rise
Korda has been gravitating around the 25 for almost two years now.e rank, but he is currently taking advantage of a combination of circumstances – notably the dispersion of players due to the Olympics – to continue his progression. His victory in the final in Washington gave him a first foray into the top 20. And the stars have aligned to guide him to the quarter-finals this week, which should propel him into the top 15.
PHOTO NICK WASS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sebastian Korda, early August, at the Washington tournament
His first match on Wednesday lasted only three games; Vasek Pospisil retired, injured. He was supposed to play again on Thursday evening, but rain pushed his match back to Friday, then to Saturday, where he was supposed to play twice instead of once. But then, after his first match, won 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) against his compatriot Taylor Fritz, he learned that his third-round rival, Casper Ruud, had withdrawn.
I was preparing for a long day. I haven’t often played two games in one day, it’s not easy. I could still play two games [dimanche]so I have to rest. It helps that I only played one match today.
Sebastian Korda
That said, before thinking about potentially playing two matches on Sunday, he had better focus on his first match, which will see him face German Alexander Zverev, 2e seeded.
The rain, again
Korda’s schedule is a good illustration of the organizers’ gymnastics after rain disrupted Thursday and Friday.
He is indeed one of the seven players who were scheduled to play two duels on Saturday. However, the players in the lower half of the draw (of which he is a part) will also have two matches scheduled on Sunday, so that the final can be held on Monday as planned. Since the upper half of the draw was further along in the tournament, these players were able to play the quarter-finals on Saturday evening.
The rain also returned early Saturday evening, for a short but intense downpour. The game was interrupted for just over an hour.
The downpour didn’t just make people unhappy; dozens of fans took advantage of it to take photos in front of a rainbow worthy of the Care Bears.
Hockey Players’ Friend
If Sebastian Korda mentioned hockey in a response, it is because it is his second sport. He is also very aware that Montreal is “perhaps not the best place” to reveal that he is a big Boston Bruins fan. The connection? Korda remains vague, but he explains that his father, a Czech born during the time of Czechoslovakia, knew Chara, a Slovak. Korda also mentioned that Jérôme’s Jonathan Huberdeau was among his many hockey friends.