Petr Korda (born 23 January 1968) is a Czech former professional tennis player. He was ranked world No. 2 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in February 1998. Korda won ten singles titles, including the 1998 Australian Open, and was the runner-up at the 1992 French Open. Korda tested positive for nandrolone in July 1998 at Wimbledon, and was banned from September 1999 for 12 months, retiring from the sport shortly before the ban.Rios asks for doping check of Korda from 1998. tennis.com (5 March 2015). Retrieved on 7 November 2015. He is the father of professional golfers Jessica Korda and Nelly Korda, and of professional tennis player Sebastian Korda.
Tennis career
Juniors Korda first came to the tennis world's attention as a promising junior player. In 1985, he partnered with fellow Czech Cyril Suk to win the boys' doubles title at the French Open. Korda and Suk ranked the joint-World No. 1 junior doubles players that year.
Junior Slam results: Australian Open: - French Open: 3R (1986) Wimbledon: QF (1986) US Open: QF (1986)
Professional career Korda turned professional in 1987. He won his first career doubles title in 1988, and his first top-level singles title in 1991. Korda was involved in four Grand Slam finals during his career – two in singles and two in doubles. Korda also was known for the "Scissors Kick" which he would do at midcourt after winning matches.
In 1990, Korda and Goran Ivanišević finished runners-up in the men's doubles at the French Open, and as a result, Korda reached his career-high doubles ranking of world No. 10. In 1992, he rose to the men's singles final at the French Open beating Christian Bergström, Shuzo Matsuoka, Michiel Schapers, Jaime Oncins, Andrei Cherkasov and Henri Leconte, before he was defeated in straight sets by defending champion Jim Courier 7–5, 6–2, 6–1.
A highlight of Korda's career include winning the Grand Slam Cup in 1993, with five-set wins in the semifinal and final over Pete Sampras and Michael Stich, the number 1 and 2 tennis players in the world at that time. Korda also was a part of the Czech Republic's team which won the Hopman Cup in 1994. In 1996 he teamed-up with Stefan Edberg to win the men's doubles title at the Australian Open. He also upset the defending champion, Pete Sampras, in five sets in the fourth round of the 1997 US Open.
The crowning moment of Korda's career came in 1998, when he defeated Albert Portas, Scott Draper, Vincent Spadea, Cédric Pioline, Jonas Björkman and Karol Kučera to face Marcelo Ríos in the men's singles final at the Australian Open. Korda dominated the match from start to finish by winning in straight sets 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 and claimed his first Grand Slam singles title in just 1 hour and 25 minutes. The win propelled him to his career-high singles ranking of World No. 2. At four tournaments in 1998, Korda had the world No. 1 ranking in his sights, but he lost to Karol Kučera in Antwerp, Marcelo Ríos at Indian Wells, Tim Henman in Miami and Richard Krajicek in Monte Carlo.
Suspension and retirement Following his quarterfinal match against Tim Henman at the Wimbledon 1998, Korda tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone."Korda awaits doping case ruling", BBC, 28 January 1999. This came to light in December 1998 when the appeals board of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) accepted his denial of intent and agreed not to ban him, instead merely withholding his Wimbledon prize money and ranking points. The ensuing controversy caused the ITF to launch an appeal against its own decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In January 1999 Korda obtained a ruling in the High Court of England and Wales that the ITF could not appeal,"Korda escapes ban", BBC, 29 January 1999. but the High Court ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal. In July 1999 the CAS allowed the ITF appeal and on 1 September 1999 the ITF banned Korda for 12 months and stripped him of all prize money and ranking points since the failed test.
Before the ban, Korda had already announced his retirement, after losing to Danny Sapsford and failing to qualify for Wimbledon 1999. However, after his ban he competed in Czech ATP Challenger Tour events: the Prague Open (singles and doubles) in December 2000 and the Czech Open (doubles) in 2001 and 2005.
Personal life Korda married Regina Rajchrtová, a former professional tennis player from Czechoslovakia. They have two daughters and a son. The oldest, Jessica, was born on 27 February 1993; she is a professional golfer, and finished 19th in the 2008 U.S. Women's Open as a 15-year-old, with Korda as her caddy. He later caddied at the 2013 U.S. Women's Open for his other daughter, Nelly, who is also a professional golfer.
Korda's son, Sebastian, is a professional tennis player.
Career statistics
Grand Slam performance timelines
Singles Tournament198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999SRW–LAustralian OpenAA2R2R1RQF1R3R1R1RW3R1 / 1017–9French Open2RA2R2RF2R1R1R3R4R1R2R0 / 1115–11Wimbledon3RA1R1R2R4R2R4RA4RQFQ20 / 917–9US Open1RA2R1R1R1RAQF3RQF1RA0 / 911–9Win–loss3–30–03–42–47–48–41–39–44–39–411–33–21 / 3960–38
Doubles Tournament19871988198919901991199219931994199519961997SRW–LAustralian OpenAAA2R1R2R1R3RSFW2R1 / 815–7French Open1R2R2RF2RQFSFA1R3R3R0 / 1019–10WimbledonA1RA2R2R1RAAAAA0 / 42–4US OpenAA3R2R3R1RAA3R1R1R0 / 77–7Win–loss0–11–23–28–44–44–44–22–16–38–23–31 / 2943–28
Grand Slam tournament finals
Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1992French OpenClay Jim Courier5–7, 2–6, 1–6Win 1998Australian OpenHard Marcelo Ríos6–2, 6–2, 6–2
Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1990French OpenClay Goran Ivanišević Sergio Casal Emilio Sánchez Vicario5–7, 3–6Win 1996Australian OpenHard Stefan Edberg Sébastien Lareau Alex O'Brien7–5, 7–5, 4–6, 6–1 Grand Slam Cup Singles: 1 (1–0) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1993Grand Slam Cup, MunichCarpet (i) Michael Stich2–6, 6–4, 7–6(7–5), 2–6, 11–9
Masters Series finals
Singles: 3 (1–2) ResultYearTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1991Canada Masters Hard Andrei Chesnokov 6–3, 4–6, 3–6 Loss 1994Indian Wells Masters Hard Pete Sampras 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 2–6Win 1997Stuttgart Masters Carpet (i) Richard Krajicek 7–6(8–6), 6–2, 6–4
Doubles: 4 (3–1) ResultYearTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentScoreWin 1990Monte-Carlo Masters Clay Tomáš Šmíd Andrés Gómez Javier Sánchez 6–4, 7–6Loss 1992Monte-Carlo Masters Clay Karel Nováček Boris Becker Michael Stich 4–6, 4–6Win 1993Monte-Carlo Masters Clay Stefan Edberg Paul Haarhuis Mark Koevermans 3–6, 6–2, 7–6Win 1993Cincinnati Masters Hard Andre Agassi Stefan Edberg Henrik Holm 7–6, 6–4
References
External links
Sunday Times article 30 August, 2009