Sebastian Korda is the youngest U.S. man to achieve a French Open fourth spherical since Michael Chang in 1991. Subsequent 12 months (or in 2024), the Korda household may obtain one thing unprecedented on 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 ought to finish on Sunday, given Rafael Nadal is his subsequent opponent within the spherical of 16.

Regardless, will probably be a special occasion.

“He’s my largest idol,” Korda stated. “I named my cat after him.”

Nadal was advised this.

“Glad to listen to that,” the Spaniard stated.

Like Nadal, the Korda identify, first made well-known by Czech father and 1998 Australian Open champion Petr, received’t be leaving the sports activities lexicon any time quickly.

Older sisters Nelly, 22, and Jessica, 27, are Nos. 2 and 22 in world golf rankings. At the least considered one of them seems destined for the Tokyo Olympics subsequent 12 months, given a nation can ship 4 golfers per gender to the Video games if ranked within the high 15.

Korda stated that Nelly is his greatest buddy. He was up previous midnight in Prague final month, stressing out as he watched her lose in a playoff in a bid to win her first main, the ANA Inspiration in California.

“They’d be each unbelievable tennis gamers,” stated Korda, who beat each sisters in his one and solely golf match round age 11 and stated he might be a two or three handicap. “I golfed rather a lot my complete life. My dad is a membership champion the place we dwell. So, yeah, we’re all fairly good golfers.”

If he can be part of both sister in Tokyo, they might develop into the primary U.S. brother and sister to compete in the identical Olympics in several sports activities, in line with Olympic historian Invoice Mallon of the OlyMADMen and Olympedia.org.

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Others competed in the identical sport, similar to ice dancers Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani in 2014 and 2018.

Others participated in several sports activities at completely different Olympics, like LeLei Fonoimoana, a silver medalist swimmer in 1976, and Eric Fonoimoana, a gold medalist in seaside volleyball in 2000.

Roger Younger and Sheila Younger competed in several sports activities on the Olympics in 1972, although Roger cycled within the Summer time Video games and Sheila pace skated on the Winter Video games.

Petr by no means competed on the Olympics.

“My purpose in life is to win two Grand Slams,” Korda stated, “so I’ve yet one more than he has.”

When Korda switched from ice hockey to tennis a few decade in the past, impressed by watching Czech Radek Stepanek play on the U.S. Open, his dad was touring with and caddying for Jessica.

So he discovered tennis from his mother. Regina Rajchrtova performed on the 1988 Seoul Olympics for Czechoslovakia, a 12 months earlier than making a clay-court remaining in Paris within the autumn — the Open Clarins.

“The way in which my strokes are and all the pieces is as a result of she’s the one which sort of tuned it that method,” Korda stated. “We spent numerous time on court docket collectively after I was a child. Most likely greater than with my dad.”

Korda’s potential path to the Olympics is a bit more sophisticated than for his sisters. Usually, his 180 rating factors gained this week, 10 months earlier than the Video games, can be a lift in Olympic qualifying.

However, since Olympic tennis qualifying makes use of world rankings instantly after the 2021 French Open, the 2020 French Open outcomes won’t issue into who goes to Tokyo.

And Korda is simply breaking into the highest stage of senior tennis, so he has few different important, point-accumulating outcomes.

He would want a really sturdy begin to 2021 to interrupt into the combo, not out of the query given his success in his second Grand Slam principal draw this week.

The U.S. can ship 4 male singles gamers to the Olympics, assuming they’re among the many 64 worldwide qualifiers.

Veterans John Isner and Sam Querrey indicated in January they had been at the least leaning towards skipping the Tokyo Video games, opening alternatives for youthful U.S. gamers. That was earlier than the coronavirus pandemic compelled the Olympic postponement to 2021.

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Sebastian Korda is on a French Open run. Is Olympic historical past in his household’s future? initially appeared on NBCSports.com