US Open Shock: Sebastian Korda Crashes Out in Round 2 After Painful Injury Drama!
The Korda family has long debated which of its talented members is the worst athlete. Sebastian Korda has occasionally found himself in that unfortunate spotlight, but his sister Nelly, a dominant force in women’s golf, has dismissed the notion, saying, “He’s full of s***. Honestly, he’s the best.” However, recent results haven’t helped her case….
The Korda family has long debated which of its talented members is the worst athlete. Sebastian Korda has occasionally found himself in that unfortunate spotlight, but his sister Nelly, a dominant force in women’s golf, has dismissed the notion, saying, “He’s full of s***. Honestly, he’s the best.” However, recent results haven’t helped her case.
Currently ranked world No. 16, Sebastian is one of five American men in the top 20, all hoping to end the country’s 21-year drought at the US Open. But on Thursday, Korda was the first of them to be eliminated.
As fans were still streaming into Louis Armstrong Stadium, Korda, seeded 16th, was already on the brink of an early exit. He struggled with an elbow injury that required multiple medical interventions, and he also struggled against his opponent, Tomas Machac of Czechia, ranked No. 39 in the world.
Despite drawing first blood in both the opening and third sets, Korda couldn’t maintain his momentum, ultimately losing 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in just over two hours. The home crowd and his star-studded supporters, including his father Petr—a former Australian Open champion and world No. 2—and his mother Regina Rajchrtova, who once reached No. 26 in the world, were left disappointed. Korda’s girlfriend, Ivana Nedved, daughter of soccer legend Pavel Nedved, was also in attendance.
Meanwhile, Nelly Korda is currently the world’s best female golfer, and their older sister Jessica has claimed six LPGA Tour victories. Sebastian’s dreams of adding to the family’s impressive trophy collection ended abruptly, yet this still marks his joint-best performance at the US Open. His main-draw record at the tournament now includes three first-round exits and two second-round defeats. Though he reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2023 Australian Open, he hasn’t made it past the third round of any major since.
Throughout the match against Machac, Korda’s injury was a persistent issue. During the second set, he called for a medical timeout as medics applied spray and tape to his right arm. The medical team returned in the third set after Korda tried to ease the pain himself by stretching his arm against the baseline screen.
Despite clear frustration and concern from his box, Korda managed to break early in the third set, taking a 4-1 lead. But Machac fought back, breaking Korda’s serve after a nasty fall and eventually winning five consecutive games to seal the match. Korda quickly exited the court, left to ponder his next steps and his place in the family’s competitive hierarchy.