Delray Beach tennis final preview and picks: Paul vs. Korda

Both Tommy Paul and Sebastian Korda already played in the final of the Delray Beach Open. Each man came up short: Korda in 2021 and Paul in 2024.

One of these two Florida natives will get over the hump and triumph in front of the home crowd on Sunday afternoon.

The 2026 Delray Beach finals will mark the seventh career showdown between Paul and Korda, with Korda leading the head-to-head series 4-2. Their first meeting took place five years ago at the same tournament, when Korda earned a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. They have not faced each other on hard court since 2022, when Paul survived a five-set thriller at the US Open. A few grass court matches in 2024 were split; Korda rode 6-4, 6-2 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch before Paul prevailed 6-4, 7-6(2) at Queen’s Club.

Sunday’s battle promises to be a fun battle. Both local products have done well in their home town grounds in the past and are currently in excellent form.

Paul has already won 11 matches this season, including a semi-final result in Adelaide, a fourth round win at the Australian Open and now a run to his eighth ATP final. The world number 24 has advanced this week with victories over Corentin Moutet, Adam Walton, Taylor Fritz and Learner Tien.

Korda bounced back from a rough Aussie Open (lost to Michael Zheng in the first round) to reach the San Diego Challenger final and the Dallas quarterfinals, where he pushed Taylor Fritz to a third-set tiebreak. The world number 50 secured a place in his 10th ATP final by beating Mackenzie McDonald, Alex Michelsen, Casper Ruud and Flavio Cobolli.

Each finalist has some advantages. Korda had a much easier semi-final on Saturday and he has also played all his matches during the day – which is when Sunday’s final will be contested. Paul receives night treatment each time, so the circumstances will be slightly different for him. However, Paul is 4-3 lifetime in ATP Championship matches; Korda is a terrible 2-7.

A more experienced Paul was mentally the strongest player in these types of situations. He also has no obvious weakness in his game, while Korda’s forehand is known to buckle under pressure. Paul is also a far superior defender, which could become a particular factor if – as many expect – this turns into a long, physical slugfest.