The big fella is back! Reilly Opelka's first match in almost 15 months will be against Tennys Sandgren! The Americans will square off at the Charlottesville Challenger.
Reilly Opelka set to face Tennys Sandgren in first match in 15 months in Charlottesville
ATPMonday, 30 October 2023 at 03:30
Reilly
Opelka will make his return to the courts after 15 months at the Challenger
Charlottesville and will face his compatriot Tennys Sandgren.
Former
world No. 17 is finally making his comeback towards the end of the year. The
26-year-old Opelka last played at the 2022 Citi Open, where he fell to Nick
Kyrgios 7-6(1), 6-2 in the round of 16.
Injuries to
his hip and wrists led him to decide on a lengthy recovery operation, which
currently leaves him without an ATP ranking. Recently, Opelka confirmed his
return to competition through a wild card from the organizers of the Challenger
75 Charlottesville:
"Hoping
to play in Charlottesville in 10 days," Reilly Opelka wrote a few days
ago.
The
tournament's top favorites are Michael Mmoh (102nd), Alex Michelsen (112th),
and Benoit Paire (126th). The draw for the tournament paired Opelka with his
compatriot, the 8th seed Tennys Sandgren (203rd).
Both
Americans have faced each other once on the ATP Tour, with Opelka emerging
victorious. However, considering their matches in the Challenger circuit, they
have had a few other encounters, with Sandgren coming out on top.
At the
moment, this is the only tournament in which Opelka would be participating
during this year. In the coming weeks, he might still receive
wildcards for Challenger tournaments taking place until the end of the year.
However,
the American also has his participation confirmed in the upcoming UTS
exhibition event in Seoul, Korea, at the end of November.
Before his
injury, Opelka remained in the top 25 throughout 2022 and won two of the four
titles he has earned in his career. The first was in February of that year at
the Dallas Open, where he defeated the young Jenson Brooksby 7-6, 7-6. Then, in
April, he claimed the title at the Houston Open, defeating John Isner in the
final 6-3, 7-6.
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