Reilly Opelka upset 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic 7-6(6) 6-3 on Friday at the Brisbane International. The American denied Djokovic of his 100th career singles title, and will jump almost 90 spots in the rankings as a result.
Opelka’s win marks his eighth career Top 10 win. The quick Brisbane conditions suited the American’s titanic serve, who has won four ATP singles titles and was once ranked No. 17 worldwide.
For Djokovic, this is his worst loss by ranking since May 2004, in a completed match. That loss was to Melle van Gemerden in an ITF event, who retired from tennis over a decade ago. The Serb did lose to the then 319th-ranked Filip Krajinovic via retirement in 2010.
How did Opelka pull off the upset?
Opelka, ranked No. 293 in the world at the start of the week, hit 16 aces and faced only one break point. The match began with aggressive hitting from both players and strong serving.
Djokovic began to face pressure on Opelka’s serve at 4-4 in the first set, saving three break points. The Serb started to force longer rallies, hoping the American’s groundstrokes would wear down. But the American’s groundstrokes would only heat up, as Opelka began to fire a slew of winners, especially off the forehand side.
Opelka lost just five points on serve in the first set. In a tiebreak, the American came up with consecutive winners to lead 7-6 (6). The American hit 21 winners in the first set alone.
Djokovic could not gain the momentum in the second set. He saw his only chance to break Opelka’s serve early in the second set, in which a serve-and-volley pattern from Opelka knocked the chance away. Soon after, a powerful forehand down the line from Opelka saw him clinch the break of his serve he needed.
There was no chance for Djokovic to break Opelka’s serve again. The American’s groundstrokes and serve continued to thrive, while the Serb increased his unforced error count. An ace sealed the 7-6(6) 6-3 upset for Opelka.
Opelka sealed the win in one hour and 41 minutes. He made his first serve 77% of the time, winning 78% of first-serve points and claiming 87% of second-serve points.
The American will now play Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the semifinals, marking a clash of some of the best serving on the ATP Tour. It’s also a match of the giants. Opelka is 6 feet 11 inches tall, and Mpetshi Perricard is 6 feet 8 inches tall.
“He is the greatest tennis player the sport has ever seen,” Opelka said on court of Djokovic after the match. “It is difficult being in Novak’s position because he can scout me all day long but the reality is we have nothing to lose coming in against him, he is the greatest player ever.”
Main Photo Credit: Jeff Romance/Palm Beach Post/USAToday Network
