Sebastian Korda is back in a Delray Beach final and he seems to have brought his best serve with him.
After a shaky start to 2026 and an early exit at the Australian Open, Korda pulled himself together on Saturday, beating Flavio Cobolli 7-6(1), 6-1 to reach his first ATP Tour final in more than a year.
Korda Finds His Rhythm
I think it was a great match.
Sebastian Korda
Korda backed that sentiment by serving strongly throughout the 76-minute clash, never facing a break point and finishing with a decisive first-set tiebreak to swing momentum his way on the hard courts of Delray Beach.
He hit 12 aces and won 82 per cent of his second-serve points, numbers that explain why the match never looked in real danger for the American despite Cobolli’s earlier run in the draw.
The win continued a pattern for Korda at this event; the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index shows he owns a 10-2 record at Delray, and this is his second finals appearance there after 2021.
Match Breakdown: What Went Right
After a tight first set, Korda dominated the second by putting pressure on returns and playing with clearer ball striking, the sort of form that comes when a big server avoids crucial service trouble and flips the script on rallies.
On the tiebreak he slammed three aces in quick succession, a small flurry that seemed to rattle the Italian and set the tone for a 6-1 second set, a scoreline that underlined Korda’s superior control on serve and return that day.
He summed up the technical side after the match, saying, “I think I played a great tie-breaker, and then after that, I just started feeling the ball a little bit better, returning a little better and put some pressure on him.”
Confidence was a running theme for Korda this week; he admitted he did not know what form he would find a month ago, but the results show a player rebuilding self-belief and thriving when conditions suit his game.
What Comes Next: An All-American Final
Korda will face either Learner Tien or hometown favorite Tommy Paul in the final, guaranteeing an all-American title match in Delray Beach, which adds local spice and crowd interest to Sunday’s showpiece.
“That’s where you want to be, especially here in the States,” Korda said, noting the excitement of American finals and the extra energy that brings at a U.S. ATP 250 event where local support can be decisive.
Tien has been one of the tournament’s surprises, reaching the late rounds after a breakthrough at the Australian Open, and he admitted the pressure and stakes hit home in close moments when family was watching from the stands.
As Learner Tien reflected after a big win, “It wasn’t looking too great,” he said, explaining how personal motivation and family presence helped him rally in tight situations to reach the advanced stages of this event.
For Korda, the final is also a chance to add a second Delray title to his resume and to show that his ranking slump is reversible; he entered the tournament unseeded at No. 50 but has looked like a different player this week.
History is on the line too: Palm Beach Post notes the last paragraph of the event’s narrative, with Delray hosting an American final for only the fifth time in its 34th edition, making Sunday’s match a small chapter in tournament lore.
Whatever happens in the final, Delray Beach has given a struggling player a platform to find his form and reminded fans that momentum can swing quickly in tennis when serve and confidence click at the same time.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
