Remember when Sebastian Korda burst onto the Roland Garros scene in 2020, only to be schooled by his idol Rafael Nadal in a humbling 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 defeat in the R16? “It was definitely the best moment of my life,” he admitted afterward, despite the three-set scoreline. Fast-forward five years, and Korda is back at the French Open, advancing confidently through his 1st-round clash. But this time, it’s not his on-court performance making waves; it’s his bold off-court take. In a surprising twist, he ranked his sisters, Jessica and Nelly Korda, ahead of tennis icons Venus Williams and Serena Williams. Wondering why?

The American ace Sebastian Korda kicked off his Roland Garros campaign with a solid 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Luciano Darderi on Monday. The match, which lasted for 2 hours and 21 minutes, saw Korda dominate with 115 total points to Darderi’s 88. 

The American was sharp on break points, converting 6 of 12, while the Italian struggled, converting just 2 of 6. With this victory, Korda now leads their head-to-head 1-0. But what truly grabbed headlines wasn’t just his performance on the court, though; it was a surprising off-court ranking involving some of the biggest names in American sports history.

While speaking with American tennis great John Isner on the Bleacher Report 2025 Roland-Garros special interview filmed in France, Korda was asked to rank the best American sibling duos. When Isner brought up NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce, Korda added, “Multiple Super Bowls, so probably go two.” Then hockey players Jack and Quinn Hughes came up; Korda wasn’t as impressed: “They haven’t won anything yet, so let’s go… I’ll toss them at four.”

Then came a personal moment! Isner mentioned golf stars Jessica and Nelly Korda, Sebastian’s sisters. Without hesitation, he ranked them number 1, saying, “Those are my number ones right there.” However, the surprise came when Isner next listed Venus Williams and Serena Williams. Korda paused and gasped, “I might take that back,” before adjusting the ranking and placing the iconic tennis sisters at number 3. Finally, he ranked NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning at 5, saying, “I think they deserve to be right up there.”

For those unfamiliar, Jessica and Nelly Korda are dominant forces in women’s golf. Nelly claimed Olympic gold five years back in Tokyo 2020 and won 7 LPGA titles in 2024 alone, becoming the 1st to do so since Yani Tseng in 2011. She also became the 1st American to win that many tournaments in a season since Beth Daniel in 1990. Jessica, too, boasts several LPGA wins. Sebastian has frequently shown his admiration, even calling Nelly the GOAT on IG through an emoji last year.

Yet, despite Korda’s familial pride, Venus Williams and Serena Williams remain towering figures in American sports history. With 30 GS titles between them, they’ve transcended tennis and continue to inspire generations. 

And while Serena has retired, Venus still plays a vital role, if not on the court, then certainly beyond it!

Venus Williams joins the broadcasting team of TNT in France

Venus Williams has been absent from WTA singles tournaments for over a year—433 days to be exact. Her most recent tournament appearance was at the 2024 Miami Open, where she suffered a first-round defeat against Diana Shnaider in straight sets (3-6, 3-6). Since then, speculation about her retirement has grown. However, Venus is back, not with a racket, but with a microphone, as she joins TNT Sports as a commentator for the 2025 Roland Garros. 

“I’m excited to join @tntsports as a commentator for @rolandgarros, alongside this incredible roster of athletes! Stay tuned for our coverage to start on Sunday, May 25. #RolandGarros 🎾,” she tweeted, announcing the exciting news on social media. She also reposted the announcement on her IG stories, adding to the excitement among fans and tennis followers alike.

Even speaking with the TNT broadcasting team at Roland Garros yesterday, the 7-time GS champion opened up about her debut behind the mic. “Listen, I am really nervous. I’m like, ‘am I gonna cancel myself by saying something crazy?!’ Everybody’s like, ‘Be yourself.’ I am trying. But it’s interesting to be on this side, right? When you become a player, your mind is already on the next match; you really don’t think about this interview. You kind of just threw it. But as a broadcaster, journalist, you wanna do your best; hopefully people watch, hopefully fans get some sort of insight about what it’s like to be a player. What it’s like to be out there,” she confessed.

As the iconic Venus Williams steps into this new chapter, many are wondering if this transition marks the beginning of a new career path or an unofficial farewell to competitive tennis. Is there still more to come from the legend on the court, or is this her next grand stage?