Both Tommy Paul and Sebastian Korda have already played in the finals of the Delray Beach Open. Each man was shortened – Korda in 2021 and Paul in 2024.
One of these two Florida natives will get over the hump and win in front of the home crowd on Sunday afternoon.
The 2026 Delray Beach final marks the seventh career matchup between Paul and Korda, with Korda leading the head-to-head series 4-2. Their first meeting came at this same tournament five years ago, when Korda scored a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. They haven’t faced each other on hard court since 2022, when Paul survived five sets at the US Open. The 2024 grass court tournaments were split; Korda went 6-4, 6-2 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch before Paul won 6-4, 7-6(2) at Queen’s Club.
Sunday’s battle promises to be exciting. Both local brands have flourished in the past in the city’s birthplace and are in outstanding form right now.
Paul has already won 11 matches this season, with a semi-final result in Adelaide, a fourth-round match at the Australian Open, and is now racing to his eighth ATP final. The world number 24 improved this week with wins over Corentin Moutet, Adam Walton, Taylor Fritz, and Learner Tien.
Korda bounced back from a tough Aussie Open (lost by Michael Zheng in the first round) to reach the finals of the San Diego Challenger and quarterfinals in Dallas, where he pushed Taylor Fritz to a third-set tiebreaker. The world No. 50 earned a place in his 10th ATP final by beating Mackenzie McDonald, Alex Michelsen, Casper Ruud, and Flavio Cobolli.
Each finalist has certain advantages. Korda enjoyed an easy semi-final on Saturday and has played all of his matches during the day – which is where Sunday’s final will be contested. Paul has been getting treatment at night every time he’s been out, so conditions will be a little different for him. However, Paul is 4-3 in ATP Championship matches; Korda is a formidable 2-7.
The more experienced Paul has been a mentally strong player in these types of situations. He also has no apparent weaknesses in his game, and Korda’s football has been known to crack under pressure. Paul is also a top defender, which could be a factor especially if – as many expect – this devolves into a long, physical slugfest.
