Corda Family "Is the Sports DNA Still Alive?"

Jessica's LPGA Season Opener Victory in Playoff, Sister Nelly 3rd, Father Petro Australian Open Tennis Major Champ, Mother and Younger Brother Also Former Tennis Players

Jessica (right) and Nelly Korda sisters are playing together in the champion group on the final day of the Diamond Resorts Tournament, the opening event of the LPGA Tour 2021 season.

[Asia Economy Reporter Noo Rae] "Blood cannot be deceived."

This is said about the American sisters Jessica and Nelly Korda. On the 25th, Jessica won the trophy after a playoff battle with Danielle Kang (USA) at the Diamond Resort Tournament (total prize money $1.2 million), the opening event of the 2021 LPGA Tour season, held at the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (par 71, 6,645 yards). This is her 6th career win, her first in three years since the 2018 Honda LPGA Thailand.

At the first playoff hole played on the 18th hole (par 3), Jessica made the winning birdie in front of her younger sister Nelly, who was playing alongside her in the champion group with their parents. This precious victory came after a period of stagnation due to wrist injuries and jaw surgery to relieve migraines. Jessica, who said "My family has always lifted me up," expressed her gratitude, saying, "My family are my greatest supporters" and "They believe in me even more than I believe in myself."

According to the LPGA Tour, this was the first time that Jessica, who debuted in 2010, and Nelly, who joined in 2016, played together in the final day’s champion group. Korda said, "This is also the first time I have won in front of my parents," showing her emotion. Nelly is a player with three LPGA Tour wins and is ranked 4th in the world. She set the record as the youngest participant (14 years old) at the 2013 US Women’s Open and made headlines by playing alongside her sister at the 2014 major Nabisco Championship.

On this day, Nelly also finished in 3rd place after a fierce competition with her sister. The event is sponsored by the Korean company Hanwha Q CELLS as the main sponsor. The Korda family is a "sports family." Their father, Petr, was the 1998 Australian Open men’s singles champion, and their mother, Regina, reached the round of 16 in the US Open women’s singles in 1989 and 1991. The youngest sibling, Sebastian, is also a tennis player and a promising talent who recently reached his first singles final on the ATP Tour.

Twenty years after their father won the Australian Open, Sebastian won the 2018 Australian Open junior boys’ singles title. Jessica won the 2012 Australian Women’s Open, and Nelly claimed the same title in 2019. Sports fans call the Korda family’s special winning connection with Australia the "Korda Slam." Jessica tearfully said, "Yesterday was my father’s 53rd birthday," adding, "It’s been a really great week."