After curbing enthusiasm, Opelka makes sudden impact in Newport return

Through two matches at the Infosys Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Reilly Opelka does not seem to have skipped a beat despite missing nearly two years of action. On Wednesday, the big-serving American powered past tricky grass-court foe and defending champion Adrian Mannarino in three sets to reach the quarter-finals.

Most noticeable at the ATP 250 has not been a particular aspect of the home favourite’s game, but the good spirits in which he has been around the grounds of his first tour-level event since August 2022 in Washington. Just weeks after that tournament, Opelka underwent surgery on his hip.

“The hip was the best thing that happened. It was the easiest surgery, it improved my tennis,” Opelka told ATPTour.com. “I can sit further into my right leg. It changed. It was a minor surgery, kind of. I had a tumorous growth in there that we had to dig out and while he did that he improved the shape of the joint.”

Good news, right? Great news, really, making one of the biggest servers in history even more dangerous. But in early 2023 Opelka underwent right wrist surgery and that is where the complications began.

“I feel really good [now],” Opelka said Wednesday. “If you asked me two months ago, I would have told you terrible.”

The wrist surgery proved unsuccessful, which has kept Opelka out ever since.

“When you're in a sling with your elbow immobilised and the cast up to [the upper arm] for five months, I couldn't even straighten my arm. So imagine for a tennis player if you can't even straighten your arm,” Opelka said. “I was just having pain all the time in my arm, my shoulder, my neck, my nerve. Flew all over the world to see specialists. I was in Germany to see a doctor. Saw a guy in Belgium, saw a guy in Dallas, saw a guy in Atlanta, saw a guy in L.A., saw a guy in Vegas.

“I went all over the world tirelessly trying to see anyone and everyone that could try to help. So I've been traveling the last eight months just seeing every specialist you can possibly imagine, throwing the kitchen sink at this thing.”

^{Photo Credit: Kyle Prudhomme/International Tennis Hall of Fame}
The former No. 17 in the PIF ATP Rankings played an ATP Challenger Tour event in Charlottesville last October, but the pain did not subside. But he said, “I’m trending a lot better”.

A positive for Opelka is that he has had plenty of time to focus on his hobbies, which he greatly enjoyed doing while competing on the ATP Tour before his injuries. Those hobbies include art and fashion.

“That's been the thing that has kept me the most sane and stimulated. Been around some characters. I really like characters. Artists are such special people to hang around. That's not a job you pick, it picks you. I think it takes a special guy or woman to be an artist,” Opelka said. “I've been around some different minds, really smart, nice people. That's the best way to explain it.”

On the biggest character he has been around, Opelka said: “In two years, the amount of just wackjobs I've met, some good, some bad. I can't even begin to tell you. I feel like they've turned me into Larry David.”

In a way, nothing really changed for Opelka. He did not need to go searching for something to do because he already traveled to art galleries and fashion shows when he was competing.

“Nothing new. That was the beauty of it,” Opelka said. “I've been doing what I've loved with tennis and without it.”

Some players get excited about watching a particular colleague play or hit a spectacular shot. Opelka is thrilled to receive a phone call from the likes of gallerist Tim Van Laere.

“I can pick up the phone and call Tim [Van Laere] any day and I got to interview Rinus Vandevelde. One of his artists, Kati Heck, painted me,” Opelka said. “I got to have the first pick of a painting from Jonathan Meese's show, a German guy I love. Tim called me first and let me pick, which was super nice of him for an artist that I love that people also love. Very fortunate to have that connection with him.”

How many galleries and shows has Opelka been to in the past two years?

“You definitely can't count it on two hands,” he said, cracking a smile.

While Opelka has been away, some of his countrymen have mentioned that they had been in touch with Opelka discussing a scouting report for their next opponent. But the four-time ATP Tour champion was not constantly glued to matches. “There are some guys I'm like, ‘Man, I don't know this guy, some new guys’,” Opelka said. “It’s a huge changing of the guard.”

When Opelka’s time out of competition began, Carlos Alcaraz nor Jannik Sinner had won a Grand Slam tournament or climbed to World No. 1. Now they have combined to win five majors and both have ascended to the top of the sport.

“They're both super cool. Carlos and I've hung out in a few tournaments. He's always got a smile on his face and he's a showman, right?” Opelka said. “Jannik's got a cool look to him. I've been spending a lot of time in Milan and you can't turn the corner without seeing that kid. Yeah, he's just cool man. We're lucky. Everyone was stressing, ‘Oh, Roger and Rafa are done’. These two are unbelievable.”

Opelka actually played doubles with Sinner three years ago in Atlanta. The pair won the title.

“I got to hang out with him in Atlanta. Nicest kid in the whole world,” Opelka said. “We were going to dinner every night. Everything that you see, that you suspect, is who he really is. He's as sweet of a guy as you can imagine.”

The 26-year-old made sure to point out the support he has received from his friends, including Tommy Paul and Mackenzie McDonald among others.

“Me and Tommy speak almost every day no matter what. Me and Mackie don't, but Mackie was making a point to come down [to visit],” Opelka said. “He came down to West Palm and hung out with me for a few days when I wasn't hitting. Just really, really nice.”

Now Opelka and McDonald will meet in the Newport quarter-finals.