Sebastian Korda defeats Tommy Paul for Delray Beach Open championship

Korda tops Paul 6-4, 6-3 in All-American final at windy Delray Beach Tennis Center

Feb. 23, 2026 at 1:36am

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Sebastian Korda defeated Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3 to win the Delray Beach Open championship. Korda, who grew up in Bradenton, Florida, won his first Delray Beach Open title in the windy conditions, coming back from love-40 down on his serve in the final game to clinch the victory. Paul, a Boca Raton resident, was supported by a group of high school students dubbed "The Founding Fathers" but was unable to win the tournament for the sixth time.

Why it matters

The Delray Beach Open is a long-running ATP 250 event that has become a popular stop on the tennis calendar, especially for American players like Korda and Paul who have strong ties to the local area. The future of the tournament, however, is uncertain as the ATP looks to potentially downsize some of its 250-level events.

The details

Korda, the 25-year-old son of former world No. 2 Petr Korda, won his first Delray Beach Open title in one hour and 22 minutes. He overcame a love-40 deficit on his serve in the final game to clinch the victory. Paul, the 28-year-old fourth seed, was supported by a group of high school students known as "The Founding Fathers" who cheered him on throughout the tournament, but he was unable to win the event for the sixth time in his career.

  • The final was played on February 22, 2026.
  • Korda last won an ATP event at the 2024 Washington D.C. tournament.

The players

Sebastian Korda

A 25-year-old American tennis player who grew up in Bradenton, Florida and is the son of former world No. 2 Petr Korda.

Tommy Paul

A 28-year-old American tennis player who lives in Boca Raton, Florida and was supported by a group of high school students known as "The Founding Fathers" at the Delray Beach Open.

Aleksander Barkov

A superstar hockey player for the Florida Panthers who was in Korda's player's box and is a close friend of Korda's.

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What they’re saying

“It's amazing, especially with how everything was going on. Crazy wind. Last game was love-40 down and somehow I came back and got some good serves in, trusted it and went after it. It's as satisfying as it can get winning a tournament when love-40 down. A lot of hard work mentally.”

— Sebastian Korda

“(Barkov) watches more tennis than anyone on planet Earth. He'll watch everything. He was here every single match and all my practices. He texts me all the time. I got to know him in 2021 when I played here. He's been a great friend of mine. I want to get on the ice with him.”

— Sebastian Korda

“They came out to every match no matter what and brought the energy.”

— Tommy Paul

“He handled the conditions better today and deserved to win. I'm pissed off for sure. I didn't want that (second-place) trophy again. I thought I was playing really good tennis up to this last mach. I didn't think I played great but started getting momentum late. He served his way out of trouble down love-40.”

— Tommy Paul

“The secret is growing up in Florida. This is where I've played in my whole life – super windy. My dad said growing up to just put the ball in the court somehow. It doesn't matter if it's a slice or ugliest shot in the world. As long as it goes to the other side of the island, it's all that matters.”

— Sebastian Korda

What’s next

The ATP is considering downsizing some of its 250-level events, including the Delray Beach Open, in an effort to shorten the overall tennis schedule.

The takeaway

This all-American final at the Delray Beach Open showcased the rising talent of young American players like Sebastian Korda and Tommy Paul, who have strong ties to the local Florida community. However, the future of the long-running tournament remains uncertain as the ATP looks to potentially reduce the number of 250-level events.