Korda: "I am still in love with tennis, I have remembered why I play"

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It has been a few days since Sebastian Korda captured the title at the ATP 250 Delray Beach, his first joy in a long time, but it was just a few hours ago that we finally heard his reflections after the victory.

The American appeared on the waves of Tennis Channel, where he always finds the warmth of his compatriots to review the current events. It had been a long time since Sebastian Korda graced a cover, but the Delray Beach tournament has brought him rewards after several months of effort without reward. Nothing better than a title to confirm the change in dynamics, both in his tennis and his mentality. At 25, the current World No. 40 is ready to give his best to break through his ceiling and secure a privileged place in the locker room. Here are his most noteworthy words during the conversation.

The key to his victory in Delray Beach

"Something I did very well before the final was to check the weather the day before. I knew it would be a bit windy, although extreme wind wasn’t expected, but it ended up being the windiest day I’ve played in. I also knew it might rain, but it didn't. Basically, I accepted that I was going to play 'ugly,' keeping the ball in, playing more into the center, and adapting as quickly as possible to the conditions. I didn't get frustrated, not even when I got broken early in the second set; then I quickly recovered. It was a matter of accepting what was there, so I'm happy with that."

Gradual Improvement

"I believe that since October, I've been functioning very well; the only thing missing was performing in tournaments. I felt that I was training well, doing the right things, although I didn't have a good Australian tour. Then I played a Challenger in San Diego to get some matches, started to play better in Dallas, so I would say it was a combination of things. I have managed to stay competitive, accept pressure situations, and feel comfortable even in discomfort."

Beating Tommy Paul in the final

"I really don't know why I have such a good record against Tommy. We played a couple of times when I first joined the circuit, and then there was a long time between matches. I always try to be as aggressive as I can because if you let him dictate, it becomes very tough. He moves incredibly well, is an impressive athlete, and is also very good at the net. The key is to keep him behind and move him constantly, but you have to play very solid tennis to do so."

Quality Leap with the Serve

"We worked a lot on the serve; this has been the key. I had an elbow injury and spent almost a year unable to serve as I wanted, but this offseason, I worked a lot on it with my coach, Ryan Harrison. We adjusted the pace and focused on increasing the first-serve percentage. Before, I had many unreturned serves, but my percentage was around 50-60%, so I was also losing easy points. Now I have a higher first-serve percentage, so the games become simpler, and I can put more pressure on the return."

Required Rest and Thinking about Indian Wells

"I haven't hit a ball since Delray Beach; tomorrow will be my first session. I'm treating my back because I finished the tournament very stiff, which is why I then skipped Acapulco, so I'm putting in hours at the gym. If all goes well, I will travel to Indian Wells this Friday to train there and prepare for Wednesday or Thursday when I'm up to play. I don't want to relax too much; I want to maintain this competitive spirit and remember that nothing will be easy. I must continue working very hard."

Sebastian Korda reveals his medium-term goal

"Since I was a child, I dreamed of this; I fell in love with tennis. I've had some dark moments with injuries and anxiety about being out of competition, but in recent weeks, I've calmed down, remembered why I play. I'm still obsessed with tennis; I love watching it and playing it. I want to be better than before, surpass my best ranking. I love the feeling of improvement, I feel like I'm a better player than a year or two ago, and that's the most satisfying thing."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Korda: “Sigo enamorado del tenis, he recordado por qué juego”