LIFE OFF-COURT: A CONVERSATION WITH IVANA NEDVĚD

Travel, Tour Life, and Career: Inside the World of a Tennis Partner

Tennis may be a solo sport on the court, but behind every player is a team, and often a partner cheering them on from the sidelines. While fans follow the matches, they’re just as curious about the lives of those closest to the athletes. One of them is Ivana Nedvěd, the stylish and accomplished partner of American tennis star Sebastian Korda. In the interview, Ivana reflects on her career, passions, and what life on tour is truly like.

1.Could you tell us a little about your background and education? What inspired your path of study?

I was born in Rome, Italy, to Czech parents who moved to a completely different country as my dad was a soccer player and he was transferred to an Italian club a few months before I was born. I spent my entire childhood in Italy, which is forever my home, but I love my Czech heritage and I feel extremely blessed to share it with Sebastian, as both his parents are also Czech. We speak Czech all the time and love the city of Prague so much.

Education-wise, I have always loved studying and going to school, so I knew I wanted to go to university and get a degree. I started looking at my options during my last year of high school. I went to high school in Turin, Italy, as my dad worked for a soccer team there, Juventus. I wanted to move right after getting my high school diploma and decided to get a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Glion Institute of Higher Education, a private institute located in Montreux, Switzerland. I proceeded to get a specialization in Luxury Brand Management at the same university, which led me to live in Switzerland for 4 years. I worked 4 different internships during those years, which was incredibly fun, but also gave me an idea of what I liked to do. I worked for Vogue for a little under a year, and as my time there was coming to an end, I decided I wanted to get a master’s in marketing. I ended up going to King’s College in London and graduated in International Marketing while traveling with Sebi on the ATP Tour. As I said before, I have always wanted to be educated. I enjoy reading, going to museums.I speak six languages (Czech, Italian, English, French, Spanish, and German), so I knew that no matter what, I wanted that for myself.

2. You’ve co-founded the company KNIT — what motivated you to launch it, and could you tell us more about it and your role in the company?

In my eyes, KNIT is an absolutely outstanding and much-needed project within the sports industry, as someone whose parent was a professional athlete and who currently lives with a professional athlete, despite them playing different sports.

My dad was a professional soccer player and Sebi plays tennis: completely different worlds, but many common denominators. KNIT is an educational platform for athletes that wants to lead and inspire the global community of athletes and sports clubs by enhancing human potential and contributing to a more conscious, sustainable, and excellence-oriented sports system. My brother and a classmate of his had the original idea whilst studying sport management in Madrid two years ago. Last year we decided to put our energies together and try to bring the project to life. I personally manage the marketing side of the start-up, as it’s what I have studied and am passionate about.

3. Running a business while traveling must come with challenges. How do you balance your professional responsibilities with life on tour?

I think the keyword is definitely finding your own balance - I am lucky enough to work with 3 incredible people who support me and encourage me no matter what, because they know how much I care about the project and in the meantime about Sebi’s career. We put a lot of hours and effort into KNIT - they are Turin based, I travel most weeks out of the year. I am glad I get to do this no matter how exhausting it may be - it makes me happy and gives me purpose.

I consider myself extremely lucky and I hate complaining… but I definitely do not enjoy the different time zones, it’s a part of the tennis life!

4. You also have a large following on social media. Do you see it mainly as a creative outlet, a business tool, or both?

I love the idea of it being my own little travel diary! I post about my outfits, vlog trips, a little bit of tennis, café runs…I enjoy the creative side of it and I have always loved taking photos/videos. I worked in social media during some of my internships, so it definitely is a very familiar field to me. Traveling so much gives me new scenarios to document every week, and I enjoy that. If/when the right opportunities come, I am happy and open to them.

5. Tennis is becoming very trendy right now — many people see it as glamorous to attend tournaments and travel around the world. A lot of attention also goes to the “tennis WAG” lifestyle. From your perspective, how does the reality compare to what people imagine?

I think people imagine being a WAG is crazy fancy, but in reality it really is not, at least in my case. I do not know if it is because I already came from a sports background so I was used to this type of “life,” but it really hasn’t affected my life much, besides for the traveling. There are lots of perks in being a WAG, and I think people love the idea of being a WAG, even though many don’t see what’s behind a professional athlete: so many sacrifices, constant public scrutiny, doubts…I always say, it takes a specific type of woman to date someone who works in sports. My mom is my biggest inspiration: she was there for my dad throughout his whole career. I was a kid back then, but I have lots of admiration for her and how much she contributed to my dad’s success.

6. You have such a great sense of style and aesthetic. Has fashion always been important to you, and do you find that tennis events influence your style choices?

Thank you so much :) I really appreciate it! I have always loved fashion and beauty, ever since I was a teen. Tennis definitely changed my style a lot! I am now more of a “comfort chic” gal - I want my outfits to feel put together and effortless while being as comfort friendly as they can be, as tennis is unpredictable. Sometimes you end up waiting for a match to start for hours or a rain delay disrupts the entire schedule, so I like to be prepared. My favorite thing is bringing fun accessories, especially my bags and shoes, because on most days, you’ll spot me wearing my favorite denims and a T-shirt :)

7. Many fans look to you for inspiration. Do you have any advice for people attending tennis tournaments — whether about fashion, comfort, or just making the most of the experience?

I think my best advice would be to stay hydrated, wear comfortable shoes and don’t forget your sunscreen! I always have my Naked Sundays SPF50+ Glow Mist — I cannot live without it.

8. Looking ahead, what are your goals for your company, your personal brand, or your career in general?

My goal in general as a person is to prioritize balance. I always want to do everything, be everywhere and help everyone, which is extremely unattainable. It’s a goal I really want to bring into 2026.

9. Finally, is there anything you’d like to share with tennis fans — or with the world in general?

Yes! I’d love to take this opportunity to say one thing - it is so amazing to see the game of tennis grow so much in popularity; at the same time, many people have no idea how much hate there is in tennis, because of people betting on matches which results in them sending so much hate towards the players. So here’s to less hate and more fun in tennis! :)