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Korda matches father by winning Washington singles title; U.S. sweeps doubles trophies

Arthur Kapetanakis | August 04, 2024


In addition to the Team USA tennis medalists at the Paris 2024 Olympics this weekend, there was more American success on home soil in Washington, D.C.

 

Sebastian Korda won the men's singles title at the ATP 500 event—matching his father, Petr Korda, who won it in 1992—while the U.S. swept the women's and men's doubles crowns. The 24-year-old is the first American men's singles champ in Washington since Andy Roddick in 2007. The doubles sweep came courtesy of women's champs Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend, and men's winners Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow.

Like father, like son

Korda claimed the Washington title with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 final victory against Italy's Flavio Cobolli on Sunday. His second tour-level trophy also earned him a new career-high ATP ranking of world No. 18.

 

The Kordas are the first father-son duo to win the same title in ATP Tour history.

 

"I've been coming to this tournament since I was a teenager," the fourth seed said in his trophy speech. "We have a lot of history with this tournament, and obviously one of my biggest goals was one day coming here and hopefully winning the tournament and putting my name up there on the stadium. Now that I have the opportunity, this is probably the most special moment of my career so far."

 

Korda won 11 straight games from 1-2 in the second set to run away with the victory, after Cobolli stole the opening set with a big forehand on his first break point of the match.

The American hit 17 winners in the match and won 11 of 17 net points in his second comeback win of the week. In the third round, he saved two match points against Thanasi Kokkinakis, thrilling the home fans in D.C. 

 

"A big thank you to the crowd," Korda said. "You guys were unbelievable this whole week, especially tonight. I really used your energy."

 

Americans sweep doubles trophies

Top seeds Muhammad and Townsend beat Jiang Xinyu and Wu Fang-Hsien, 7-6(0), 6-3, to win the D.C. women's doubles title on Saturday. The trophy is the pair's third as a team.

 

Townsend has now won titles in consecutive women's doubles events, after winning her first Grand Slam crown at Wimbledon with Katerina Siniakova last month.

 

"It's been fantastic," Townsend said of her recent run, as quoted on mubadalacitiopen.com. "One of the things that I think is tough and that people don't really talk about enough is the bounce back [after a big win]… You really have to turn the page and be present where you are.

 

"For me, I'm really happy that I was able to turn that page and play a couple of good singles matches, play some good doubles matches and ultimately win next to my friend. It really means a lot to me."

 

Lammons and Withrow won their second title in as many weeks with a 7-5, 6-3 victory against Brazilians Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo in Sunday's men's doubles final. They are the first all-American team to win the D.C. men's doubles crown since the Bryan brothers in 2015.

 

"Lucky for us it was a little hot and we could kind of bring the heat today," Lammons said during the trophy ceremony. "Thanks to my partner Jackson. We got some good momentum going the last couple of weeks. We love playing here in the States."

 

The pair also triumphed on home in Atlanta last week. They have won eight ATP Tour titles since 2022, including three this season.

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