Korda has been dealing with a lot of injuries over the past year, and the former world No. 15 has dropped drastically in the rankings. The American revealed that he wasn’t practicing at all before he took a break from tennis following the French Open.

Despite the tough period, Korda produced a very high level on Monday against Popyrin, and the American was happy with the win when we talked to him immediately after the match.

Tough match against ‘tricky’ Popyrin

Popyrin is a former Masters 1000 winner, and the Australian always seems to be a tricky opponent, which Korda also mentioned after the match.

“It was very tough. It is always tough to play Popyrin. We have played three times and the last time we played was in a semi of a Masters 1000, and he is just an extremely highly skilled tennis player,” Korda told Bolavip after the match.

“He has an incredible serve, he is a good mover and has a good forehand. It was very tricky and I was lucky at some moments. I served horrendously. It’s pretty tough when you don’t have a first serve, but I am happy.”

Korda admits he didn’t train for a long period

The former world No. 15 took almost three months off after the French Open this year, as he had struggled a lot with injuries. Korda now admits that he didn’t train at all during the entire year leading up to the French Open.

“I am feeling pretty good,” he said. “I have had a lot of injuries, but now its more mental than anything. It’s about starting up the machine again and trying to win some ugly matches.”

Korda makes it clear that he is still motivated to improve. However, it has been very tough off the court in 2025: “I think the motivation is still there, more so just getting down on yourself all the time. That hurts a little bit but I have definitely gone through a lot of different emotions in the last year, but I am definitely motivated and I want to keep playing and hopefully raise my level.

“I mean.. Practicing… Honestly, before I took those months off, honestly I didn’t practice the whole year. It has been like an hour on the court every single day, no fitness really. I was not feeling great, it was definitely not a good feeling. Hopefully it is past me now.”

Korda faces either Kamil Majchrzak or Filip Misolic in the second round in Stockholm, where Bolavip also interviewed Casper Ruud this week.

Sebastian Korda‘s tennis journey is a testament to his passion, talent, and dedication to the sport. From his early days as a junior, running around the grounds of the Mubadala Citi DC Open while his father, Petr Korda, coached Radek Stepanek, to becoming the eighth seed at the prestigious ATP 500 event, Korda has come a long way in the tennis world.

The 23-year-old American has quickly become a fan favorite, attracting spectators to the court with his powerful game. As he competes at the ATP 500 event, Korda looks back fondly on his experiences at the Washington tournament. He recalls being a young kid, accompanying his father and Stepanek, and cherishing every moment spent in the locker room and around the players.

One person who holds a special place in Korda’s heart is the legendary Andre Agassi. Recently, while cooling down in the players’ gym, Korda noticed a photo of Agassi displayed on the signage outside. Filled with admiration, he took a selfie with the plaque in the background and shared it with his mentor. For Korda, having Agassi’s support and guidance is a privilege he cherishes.

Korda’s Agassi Mentorship

The Korda family’s connection with tennis greatness runs deep. In 1991, Andre Agassi faced Sebastian’s father, Petr Korda, in the Washington final, securing a memorable victory. Agassi’s influence on Korda’s career has been profound.

“Washington has to be one of my favorite stops. Kind of being here as a 14-year-old kid with my dad and Radek Stepanek. To experience everything was really cool. Being in the locker room for the first time and being around the players, I have a lot of great memories from this tournament. It’s definitely very special. Agassi is a very special person to me. He’s tennis royalty in a way and just to have someone like that in my corner, I think it’s pretty special”, Korda told ATPTour.com.

Korda’s promising season began with a memorable run to the ATP 250 final in Adelaide, where he held championship point against Novak Djokovic. His impressive performance continued at the Australian Open, where he reached the quarter-finals, defeating top players along the way. Despite facing challenges, including an elbow injury, Korda remains optimistic and focused on the future.

There are a lot of top favorites eliminated. Fellow Americans made a ton of noise since Mackenzie McDonald beat Rafael Nadal and Jenson Brooksby took down Casper Ruud also in the second round. The third big hit was him with his best performance.

Korda defeated Daniil Medvedev to increase his opportunities even more. In the Rod Laver Arena, he could win a tough match against the former leader of the ATP Tour 7-6 (7); 6-3; 7-6 (4). But that score also put him as one of the probable winners of the trophy.

How much would a Sebastian Korda title in the 2023 Australian Open pay?

The main participant continues being Novak Djokovic in the race to win the Australian Open. He arrived as the candidate and solidified that with Nadal and Medvedev losses. Djokovic to lift his 10th crown in this Grand Slam is at +110, according to BetMGM.

Although the American is not that far behind the Serbian. Korda appears as the fourth most likely to win the title also behind Stefanos Tsitsipas at +550 and Holger Rune at +600. His odds right now are +900, while Jannik Sinner finishes the best five at +1100. For him the challenge in the fourth round will be Hubert Hurkacz.

Medvedev showed so far why he arrived at the tournament as one of the favorites to get the crown. In his two games he solved the wins easily to avoid being too much time on the court. The Russian beat the American Marcos Giron 6-0; 6-1; 6-2 and then the Australian John Millman 7-5; 6-2; 6-2.

Korda had a very consistent beginning that took him to this point in a deserved way. The American defeated Christian Garin in four sets in his opener, but he didn’t stop there. In the second round he got a victory over Yosuke Watanuki 6-2; 7-5; 6-4 in 2h 27m. Those quick wins gave him enough rest to be ready to take on a Grand Slam champion.

Sebastian Korda vs Daniil Medvedev: Match Information

Date: Friday, January 20, 2023
Time: 6:30 AM (ET) (estimated)
Location: Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia
Live Stream: FuboTV (free trial)

Sebastian Korda vs Daniil Medvedev: Time by State in the US

ET: 6:30 AM
CT: 5:30 AM
MT: 4:30 AM
PT: 3:30 AM

Sebastian Korda vs Daniil Medvedev: Storylines and Head-to-Head

The game Korda vs Medvedev doesn’t have much background. This will be only their second match against each other in the ATP Tour. Medvedev was the one that won that game in 2021. It was in the Masters 1000 of Paris in the round of 16 that had them going to the third set. But the Russian beat the American 4-6; 6-1; 6-3.

How to watch Sebastian Korda vs Daniil Medvedev in the US

Sebastian Korda will take on Daniil Medvedev in the third round of the 2023 Australian Open this Friday, January 20. The game will be available in the US on FuboTV (free trial). The other option is ESPN.

Sebastian Korda vs Daniil Medvedev: Predictions and Odds

The Oddsmakers in the US have this one as a very even game with Daniil Medvedev as the player more likely to win. According to BetMGM, the favorite here Daniil Medvedev is at -500 and a victory by Sebastian Korda is at +333.

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The American has been impressing a lot in this sports competition so far. Being ranked 87th in the ATP ranking, Korda made his way into a deep stage by kicking out four opponents. His next challenge will be against another player who is in bright form.

On the other hand, Andrey Rublev won his last three games in the Miami Open by two sets, reaching this round in style. The 23-year-old is among the top-10 of the world ranking at the moment.

Sebastian Korda vs Andrey Rublev: Match Information

Date: Thursday, April 1, 2021
Time: 7 PM (ET)
Location: Grandstand, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

Sebastian Korda vs Andrey Rublev: Time by State in the US

ET: 7 PM
CT: 6 PM
MT: 5 PM
PT: 4 PM

Sebastian Korda vs Andrey Rublev: Storylines

These two will clash in an exciting matchup between youngpromisesin the world of tennis. Sebastian Korda is currently going through an amazing moment early in his career. At 20 years of age, he defeated Diego Schwartzman by 6-3, 4-6, and 7-5, in his first triumph against a Top-10 opponent. Besides, Korda got into a Masters 1000 quarterfinal for the first time in his short career.

The son of Petr, who won the Australian Open in 1998, belongs to a talented family, as his sisters do great in this sport as well. However, he has a huge ordeal upfront, having to facea red-hot Andrey Rublev.

The Russian is ranked 8th in the ATP Ranking, as he had an amazing rise in the sport in the last years. Rublev advancedto the current stage in great fashion, as he kicked out every rival just in two sets.

How to watch or live stream Sebastian Korda vs Andrey Rublev in the US

The game to be played between Sebastian Korda and Andrey Rublev in the2021 Miami Open quarterfinals will be broadcasted in the US by ATP Tennis TV and ESPN.

Sebastian Korda vs Andrey Rublev: Predictions and Odds

Oddsmakers have madetheir predictions, and there’s one clear favorite to claim the win. FanDuel has given odds of -460 to Andrey Rublev, while a triumph of Sebastian Korda would result in a +340 payout.