Ferd Lewis: Kordas know a few things about winning championships

Imagine the bemused onlookers at the Sarasota Open pro tennis tournament Thursday in Florida, where one couple in the stands was cheering not only during a match but sometimes even in the dead time of change-overs.

With son Sebastian working his way into the round of eight in the ATP’s event and their youngest daughter, Nelly, 4,698 miles away at Ko Olina contending in the LPGA’s Lotte Championship, Petr Korda and his wife, Regina Rajchrtova, had plenty to cheer about.

“Quite a proud day,” said Petr in a telephone interview after Nelly had birdied four of her final five holes on the way to claiming second place, two strokes behind late-surging Eun-Hee Ji, who shot a 7-under 65, at the halfway point of the 72-hole tournament.

Nelly, who led most of the day, shot a 4-under 68 and is 13 under at 131, keeping her in contention for a shot at a third title in 10 tournaments dating to 2018.

“We were watching Sebastian during the match and following the LPGA scores (on the phone). It was quite a busy (day),” Petr said.

It has become a familiar juggling act for the the one-time No. 2 pro tennis player in the world and his wife, also a former world class player from the Czech Republic.

Petr won the 1998 Australian Open, the highlight of 10 career pro singles titles, which propelled him to a No. 2 ranking behind Pete Sampras at one point.

Tall and lean like their parents, the American-born children, 5-foot, 11-inch Jessica, 26, and Nelly (5-10), 20, play on the LPGA Tour, where they are 11th and 10th in the world in the Rolex Rankings. The 6-4 Sebastian, 18, is finding his own niche in the ATP Challenge Series after playing hockey into his teens. (Jessica was not entered in the Lotte Championship).

“I’m happy that they are following and chasing their own dreams and we are happy at what they are achieving,” said Petr, who took up golf after his retirement from competitive tennis. “We never forced our kids to do any sport. That came from them, what they wanted to play. We taught them multiple sports and whatever they picked we tried to (support) them.”

For example, Nelly tried tae kwon do, skiing and tennis but, ultimately, she said, chose to follow her older sister into golf. “I started playing golf when I started walking. I was the annoying little sister,” Nelly said.

For Jessica, who has five tournament titles, and Nelly, who has two, Petr has sometimes served as a caddie.

As soon as she signed her second-round scorecard Thursday, Nelly remembered it was time to check on Sebastian. “He should be done by now,” she said, quickly calculating the time on the East Coast and reaching for her phone. In time, she said, they would exchange text messages.

“We’re all very sport-oriented,” Korda said by way of considerable understatement. “And, we’re all very close.”

Their father was known for a trademark “scissor kick” at midcourt when he won, most notably at the Australian Open. When Jessica won a tournament in Australia she performed one as well. And Sebastian followed when he won the 2018 Boys Australian title.

Might we see one from Nelly on Saturday on the 18th green, if she wins at Ko Olina?

“No,” she said, “that’s only in Australia.”

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.