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Sebastian Korda, Ben Shelton, and Brandon Holt are three of the most exciting prospects coming up in American tennis. With the parents of all three prodigies being professional tennis players themselves, former player Martin Blackman is of the opinion that their success can be chalked up to the perfect balance their parents have created for them.
22-year-old Sebastian Korda is the son of two former Czech players — 1998 Australian Open winner Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtova. Ben, 20, impressed the world by reaching the quarterfinals of the 2023 Australian Open and is the son of Bryan Shelton. Brandon, 24, is the son of two-time US Open champion Tracy Austin.
Speaking on the TENNIS.com podcast recently, Blackman, the General Manager of Player Development with the USTA, stated that all three players benefitted from the personal and professional balance that their parents brought in. He added Casper Ruud's name to the list as well, who is the son of former ATP player Christian Ruud.
"I think in all three cases and other cases like Casper Ruud and his dad Christian Ruud, that is kind of the epitome of a former great player and athlete, who takes that knowledge but maintains a relationship as a father, as a mother. If you're able to do that, it's a really beautiful thing," Blackman said.
The 52-year-old further stated that although the retired players were there for emotional support for the most part, they would not mince their words when it came to on-court performances.
"On one hand, you've got the unconditional love of a parent, so even if you have a really bad practice, you're not bringing it back to the dinner table. On the other hand, you've got the knowledge of somebody who has played at the highest level like Tracy, Peter, or Bryan, and they're not going to sugarcoat it. So, 'Hey, you told me you want to be the No. 1 in the world. What you did today, is it going to get you there?'"
"The habit of having those kinds of conversations and balancing it out, it's really difficult to do, but when you're able to do it, like Bryan, Peter, and Tracy have, it's a beautiful thing. And those are three amazing character individuals — Sebi, Ben, and Brandon," he added.
Sebastian Korda will be "a legit threat at Wimbledon," says Patrick McEnroe
The last American man to win a Grand Slam title was Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. However, former player Patrick McEnroe is optimistic about American male players getting back in the mix soon. He particularly backed Sebastian Korda to be a threat at the 2023 Wimbledon, provided he recovers from his latest wrist injury soon.
"I think Korda. I mean, to me, Sebastian Korda is a guy like 'wow'," McEnroe said. "If he could put it together, we'll see how the wrist is, haven't heard any updates on the wrist injury that he suffered against Khachanov. But, if he can add a little more meat to the bones, get a little more pop on the serve, he looks to me like a guy that's a legit threat at Wimbledon."
