Tennis can be unpredictable, with the tide of a match-turning in an instant. But nothing stings more than hitting an unexpected roadblock just when you’re pushing forward. That’s precisely what Sebastian Korda is facing in his second-round match at the US Open. As he battles to advance in this crucial tournament, an unforeseen challenge threatens to derail his efforts. How will Korda navigate this setback, and will he find a way to keep his US Open dreams alive?

The American tennis star was seen struggling in his match against Tomas Machac on Thursday. After losing the first set 6-4, the woes of the star player continued to rise, eventually forcing him to take a medical timeout after suffering pain in his right arm, as he trailed 2-1 in the second set. 

Korda was soon joined by his physio on the court who was seen spraying some ointment on the player’s arm. He was also spotted in a black sleeve as he geared to return to the courts. However, he failed to make a comeback in the second set as well, eventually losing it 6-2. While Korda made a remarkable comeback in the third set leading it 3-0, destiny seemed to have other plans for him.

He struggled again with his arm and his physio was called on the courts yet again. Eventually, he lost the third set as well, 6-4, thereby marking an end to his run at the tournament. But Korda’s struggles due to his injuries have continued to bother him, especially in crucial tournaments. 

The American sensation himself opened up about his injury woes during the Shanghai Masters last year. Speaking about the wrist injury that kept him away from the tennis courts for several months, Korda said, “Basically every single practice, every single forehand that I hit, I was kind of just praying that it would stop hurting, and it just never would.” These injuries have also impacted the performance of the player who claims to re-learn tennis after the struggling phase.

“I just don’t have a lot of reps, you could say, on my forehand side — on my forehand, on my forehand volleys, returning,“ Korda said in 2023. But as he once again faces struggles with his arm, one can only hope it is not severe enough. This injury, meanwhile, would indeed act as a major setback for a player like Korda, who was on a sensational run on the hardcourts this season. 

Korda won the title at the Washington Open this season and advanced to the semi-finals of the Canadian Open. These performances would have given the player the much-needed motivation, which now seems to have hit a roadblock. But Korda has always demonstrated his resilience and his family gives him the due support. 

When Sebastian Korda opened up about his family’s role in his resilient attitude

Sebastian Korda’s athletic background has given him immense motivation to overcome the challenges and win big on the tennis courts. The American star himself acknowledged this and claimed that he often takes the support of his family when pushed by challenges.

Although Nelly Korda chose sports that were different from those of her siblings, who chose golf, he often turned to them for advice. “We’re always in contact if I’m going through something,” he said, per Town and Country. “They can always help me out.” Since golf and Tennis are both individual sports, the mentality of playing out alone has been the main discussion between the siblings. “I also just really love watching them play and compete,” Korda continued. “It gives me a lot of inspiration to keep going and keep working hard.“

As the match and eventually the season progresses, it would be interesting to see if he can overcome the challenges and continue his resilience to win bigger.