MELBOURNE, Australia — Sebastian Korda spent his first week of a long-awaited trip to Australia far from the summer sunshine he imagined: After testing positive for coronavirus upon landing in the country, Korda was quarantined in a hotel room in Adelaide, hitting a ball against the headboard of his bed.
Though one unfortunate carom off the ceiling left Korda doubled over in pain, the weeklong confinement would not contain his growing talent: In his first match of the year, Korda comprehensively defeated 12th-seeded Cameron Norrie of Britain, 6-3, 6-0, 6-4, in a first-round match at the Australian Open’s new Kia Arena.