Satisfied with his first-set win, Sebastian Korda has a lot more to look forward to. Eager to demonstrate his abilities, he is ready for an all-American matchup with Taylor Fritz in Rome’s third round. Yet he’s also prepared to draw upon the expertise of his coach, Radek Stepanek, to try “to get that little dawg in from him” at the Italian Open.

After winning the second round, the 23-year-old tennis player recently shared with Tennis Channel how he’s seeking an edge from his coach by studying his success in Rome during his active playing days. He stated, “I think he took out Fed here actually one year in Rome. So, he’s got a lot of great memories here, and yeah, I’m trying to get that little dawg in from him and maybe take some of it.”

On that note, 2008 saw Roger Federer suffer a defeat as his hopes were dashed when he lost to the former tennis player from the Czech Republic in the Italian Open quarterfinals, ending his championship run abruptly and raising questions about his French Open participation that year.

When the 23-year-old tennis player winks at the Italian Open in response to the crowd jeering him after he defeats local challenger Flavio Cobolli, the ‘dawg’ debate begins. He mimics his coach’s behavior with this act of defiance, which starts a conversation between them about how to play with a similar force, involving Korda’s girlfriend.

He wrote on Twitter, “Shoutout to the fans behind me for talking inappropriately about my girlfriend, family and team for 2.5hrs. Thank you for the extra motivation… Still love yall.” Subsequently, the 45-year-old former tennis player presents himself as one of the sport’s few remaining carefree characters with a colorful and divisive personality.

Even though his theatrics often leave opponents uneasy, audiences are nonetheless enthralled by his flamboyant antics. It is hard to ignore the Czech’s presence on or off the court, whether he is leaping over the net, performing his trademark “worm” dance, putting on a show, or boldly facing prospective confrontations with opponents.

In addition to being Korda’s coach, Stepanek is also a big brother and mentor to the 23-year-old. Their bond goes beyond the tennis court, as Korda looks up to Stepanek’s example for direction and inspiration. The 45-year-old coach opened up last year about his role as the young American’s primary support system, emphasizing the depth of their relationship on a personal and professional level.

Sebastian Korda’s coach reflects on life’s full circle

Korda’s present coach discusses his belief in the player’s future while highlighting his special relationship with his family background. Stepanek feels that Sebastian has the “DNA” of a real competitor because he was previously trained by Petr, Korda’s father. He’s been a part of the American team since 2021 and is trying to put a great foot forward together.

He stated, “It’s a beautiful circle of life that after Petr coached me for so long I’m now in Sebi’s camp. It helped me a lot that I have Petr’s DNA as a tennis player so I think he can sleep peacefully, I’m not going to inject anything other than what I’ve learned from him.” As he presently stands at No. 27, Stepanek is keen to instill in the young talent the same enthusiasm and desire in order to push him even higher in the rankings of the tennis globe.

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Korda’s readiness to shine in Rome? Do let us know in the comment section below.