Florida, February 23 – Sebastian Korda won his third ATP Tour title, delivering a composed performance to defeat fellow American Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the Delray Beach Open.
Having narrowly missed out as the runner-up in the same tournament in 2021, Korda returned to claim the trophy this time, becoming the ninth American man to win the Florida event. The 25-year-old's victory propels him to No. 40 in the ATP Live Rankings.
“It means a lot. I’ve been through some tough times in the past couple of months and years. I’ve lost several finals, and now to win one here in Delray – this is where I played my first ATP final – it feels like a full circle. I’m just happy,” Korda said.
Battling strong afternoon winds, Korda played assertive tennis from the baseline, controlling rallies with clean, confident ball-striking. He won the first set with a timely break at 5-4 and was particularly effective with his first serve, claiming 83 per cent of those points, according to ATP reports.
The second set brought late drama. Serving for the championship, Korda fell behind 0/40 but refused to yield, saving four break points in the game before sealing the win after one hour and 22 minutes.
“It was tricky. We were both struggling out there, it was super windy. I was just trying to get the ball into the court. I was born and raised in Florida, so I’m used to the wind a little bit, but this was definitely extreme,” Korda said.
Korda’s path to the title was anything but straightforward. He eliminated three of the tournament’s top five seeds, including second seed Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals and third seed Flavio Cobolli in the semi-finals.
The championship clash marked the second all-American final of the season, following the showdown in Dallas. With the win, Korda improved his ATP Head2Head record against Paul to 5-2. The two had not met in nearly 20 months, since their encounter at the Queen's Club Championships in 2024.
For Paul, 28, the defeat denied him a fifth career ATP Tour title. Korda’s triumph represents a significant milestone in his resurgence. Last season, he was sidelined from Roland Garros through Winston-Salem while recovering from a stress fracture in his right shin, a setback that required the use of a protective boot and crutches. Now healthy again, Korda’s breakthrough in Delray Beach signals a return to form, and perhaps the start of another upward climb.
