Sebastian Korda had a chance to train with
Rafael Nadal at the Citi Open in Washington which was a delight for the American youngster.
The first time Sebastian Korda got to share the court with Rafael Nadal was in 2020 at the French Open where the American broke out initially. Not many heard of the young American at that time but his stellar play at the Grand Slam quickly garnered him attention.
Nadal won that match with ease but Korda spoke at length after the match about how much he loved Nadal and how he idolized him growing up. His affection for Nadal was so strong that he called his dog Rafa. Now at the Citi Open in Washington, they shared the court again but this time it was practice.
On that Korda said:
“Being able to train with him is a dream come true. Hopefully, we can meet many more times on the court. My agent had always told me
that training with Nadal is something different and to prepare me
for a unique intensity."
Korda once again reitarted his admiration of Nadal by saying:
“I remember I started travelling the world when I was 8 years old, accompanying my father when he trained Radek Stepanek, and he always tried to watch Rafa’s games.”