Petr Korda

Petr Korda (b. January 23 1968, in Prague, Czechoslovakia) is a former professional tennis player from the Czech Republic.

Related Topics:
January 23 - 1968 - Prague - Czechoslovakia - Tennis - Czech Republic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Korda first came to the tennis world's attention as a promising junior player. In 1985, he partnered fellow-Czech Cyril Suk to win the boy's doubles title at the French Open. Korda and Suk ranked the joint-World No. 1 junior doubles players that year.

Related Topics:
1985 - Cyril Suk - French Open

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Korda turned professional in 1987. He won his first career doubles title in 1988, and his first top-level singles title in 1991.

Related Topics:
1987 - 1988 - 1991

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Korda was involved in four Grand Slam finals during his career ? two in singles and two in doubles.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1990, Korda and Goran Ivanisevic finished runners-up in the men's doubles at the French Open.

Related Topics:
1990 - Goran Ivanisevic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1992, Korda made it to the men's singles final at the French Open, where he was defeated in straight sets by defending champion Jim Courier 7-5, 6-2, 6-1.

Related Topics:
1992 - Jim Courier

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1996, Korda teamed-up with Stefan Edberg to win the men's doubles title at the Australian Open.

Related Topics:
1996 - Stefan Edberg - Australian Open

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The crowning moment of Korda's career came in 1998, when he faced Marcelo Ríos in the men's singles final at the Australian Open. Korda dominated the match from start to finish to win in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 and claim his first (and only) Grand Slam singles title. The win propelled him to his career-high singles ranking of World No. 2. (His career-high doubles ranking was World No. 10.)

Related Topics:
1998 - Marcelo Ríos

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Other major highlights of Korda's career included winning the Grand Slam Cup in 1993, and being part of the Czech Republic's team which won the Hopman Cup in 1994.

Related Topics:
Grand Slam Cup - 1993 - Hopman Cup - 1994

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A few months after his Australian Open victory in 1998, Korda became the first high-profile tennis player to be caught for taking a banned substance. Following a match at Wimbledon, Korda tested positive for nandrolone. Subsequently he was banned from the sport for one year. Korda did not return to the professional tour and, to all extents and purposes, the ban marked the end of a career during which Korda won ten singles titles and ten doubles titles.

Related Topics:
Wimbledon - Nandrolone

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~