DELRAY BEACH — Tommy Paul had its “Founding Fathers” fan club. Sébastien Korda had Florida Panthers superstar Aleksander Barkov.
Score a goal for hockey in a All-American Delray Beach Open Finall as Korda dominated Paul, 6-4, 6-3 in front of 4,774 fans on Feb. 22 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.
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Korda, who grew up in Bradenton as the son of the great Petr, won his first title at the Delray Beach Open and collapsed on his back after winning a match point in an epic game in which he trailed love-40 on his serve.
Entering the tournament unseeded and his ranking dropping to 50 after a difficult start to 2026, Korda, 25, was the better man in windswept conditions. He is the sixth unseeded player to win this event in 34 years.
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“It’s amazing, especially with the way everything was going,” Korda said. “Crazy wind. The last match was 40 points and somehow I came back and got good serves, trusted it and chased it. It’s as satisfying as winning a tournament when love is 40. A lot of hard work mentally.
Barkov was in the Korda players’ box. Of Czech descent, Korda played hockey until age 11 and became friends with Barkov, who is Swiss, when he first played in Delray in 2021.
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“(Barkov) watches more tennis than anyone on planet Earth,” Korda said after winning the ATP 250 event in one hour and 22 minutes. “”He will watch everything. He was here for every game and all my practices. He texts me all the time. I met him in 2021 when I played here. He’s one of my great friends. I want to get on the ice with him. “
Sebastian Korda celebrates his 6-4, 6-3 victory over Tommy Paul in the final of the Delray Beach Open at Delray Beach Stadium and Tennis Center on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
Paul, who lives in Boca Raton, still can’t find the complete answer in Delray because he failed to win the tournament in six tries. But this one was special, created by “The Founding Fathers” – a group of three high school students from Donna Klein High School in Boca Raton. Matthew, Alex and Chad cheered, chanted and chanted during all of Paul’s matches.
The trio often led the rest of the crowd in a Paul chorus – the one ditty heard in abundance (“You say Tommy, I say Paul. Tommy… Paul. Tommy… Paul”).
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During the trophy presentation, Paul greeted the trio, who dressed in colonial-era attire.
“They came to every game no matter what and brought energy,” said Paul, the 4th seed.th
Two years ago, Paul, 28, lost in the Delray final to his friend Taylor Fritz. Paul looked more lost Sunday in the wind, often showing frustration when one of his lobs sailed several meters due to a sudden current. When he was broken at 4-5 to give Korda the first set, the winds had picked up noticeably during this match. Bad timing.
“He handled the conditions better today and deserved to win,” Paul said. “I’m definitely upset. I didn’t want that (second-place) trophy anymore. I thought I was playing really good tennis until that last match. I didn’t think I played well, but I started gaining momentum late. He got out of trouble in love-40.”
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At that point, with nerves of steel, Korda hit a few aces, Paul missed an easy forehand off his frame and cracked a few more long. Overall, Korda accurately guided the ball into the play with more finesse amid the South Florida gusts.
“The secret is growing up in Florida,” said Korda, whose father rose to No. 2 in the world. “That’s where I’ve played my whole life – with a lot of wind. My dad told me that growing up you just had to get the ball on the field one way or another. It doesn’t matter if it’s a slice or the ugliest shot in the world. As long as it goes to the other side of the island, that’s all that matters.
Korda, who beat No. 2 seed Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals, fell behind on a break to start the second set. Paul lunged at Korda, breaking him immediately after winning a 30-shot exchange with a forehand crosscourt winner.
But Korda immediately fought back and did it again to take a 3-1 lead. The Bradenton resident rose to a 4-1 lead and held off Paul’s furious rally in the final game that could have put the second set on serve.
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When asked if he was upset with himself or the wind, Paul replied, “I can’t be upset with Mother Nature. »
Tommy Paul returns a volley against Sebastian Korda in the final of the Delray Beach Open. Korda won the tournament 6-4, 6-3 at Delray Beach Stadium and Tennis Center on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
Paul had beaten American Learner Tien in the Feb. 21 semifinals — a player who some say has the tennis smarts to succeed with his left forehand.
“Yours is amazing,” Paul said. “This younger generation of Americans, they’re not afraid of anything or us at all. That’s a good thing for them. Boring for us. They came out ready to beat us every time. They’re serious players.
Korda had not won an ATP event since the 2024 Washington DC tournament which prepares for the US Open. Korda lost in the final here in 2021. “My confidence is definitely increasing,” Korda said. “It’s about being consistent. In the past years I haven’t been very consistent.
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Paul said: “He’s dealt with a lot of injuries and setbacks. It’s good to see him at this level.”
Future of Delray Beach Open uncertain
This could be Delray’s penultimate tournament if things go a certain way.
An ATP official said last month that the aim was to reduce the number of ATP events by 250 points in a bid to shorten the calendar. There are three 250-point ATP events in the United States: Delray Beach and those in Houston (indoor clay court before the European clay season in the spring) and Winston Salem, North Carolina.
The Delray Open attracted 59,366 fans this week. With a swarm of players living in South Florida, it’s hard to see Delray Beach getting the ax.
This article was originally published on the Palm Beach Post: Delray Beach Open returns to unseeded Sebastian Korda vs. Tommy Paul
