"The bigger the fall the bigger the rise": Comeback season for Reilly Opelka as injury lay-off concludes

After missing several months due to injuries, American tennis player Reilly Opelka is primed for his comeback, with the news drawing congratulatory messages from his peers.

The former World No.17 has been out of action since August 2022, after which he had season-ending hip surgery. Although he seemed ready to return in February this year, a right wrist injury hindered his plans as he was again forced to take some time off.

The towering American revealed his comeback plans on social media recently, stating he would like to resume his career at the upcoming Challenger event in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he was the champion in 2016. The tournament will take place between October 30 to November 5. Additionally, he is also expected to take part in the upcoming UTS exhibition event in Seoul from November 30 to December 3.

Opelka shared his recovery journey through a series of pictures on Instagram, which prompted several messages of support from his colleagues and fans.

“Storms never last,” read the caption of Opelka's inspiration post.

“#BottingBack," joked World No.12 Tommy Paul.

“Time to bot,” joked fellow giant John Isner, who retired at 2023 US Open.

“See you soon pop,” wrote British tennis player Cameron Norrie.

"The bigger the fall, the bigger the rise… Comeback bout to be fire,” said Prakash Amritraj, a former tennis player and a reporter on the Tennis Channel.