By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, January 3, 2025
No. 293 Reilly Opelka slammed 16 aces shocking Novak Djokovic 7-6(6), 6-3 to make his mark as the lowest-ranked male semifinalist in Brisbane history.
Photo credit: Chris Hyde/Getty
During his injury-pained hiatus, Reilly Opelka sometimes stared at the cast wrapping his surgically-repaired wrist and pondered one question.
“What would Novak do in my situation?”
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Facing the Grand Slam king for the first time, Opelka delivered authoritative answers.
World No. 293 Opelka slammed 16 aces shocking top-seeded Novak Djokovic 7-6(6), 6-3 to make his mark as the lowest-ranked male semifinalist in Brisbane history.
Competing with calm aggression, the 6’11” Opelka unleashed that ferocious serve, some fine running strikes—and his status as overwhelming underdog to deny Djokovic’s bid for his 100th career championship. Once derided as a "Serve-Bot" by some unimaginative critics, Opelka showed why he can be such a dangerous force, raising his career record vs. Top 10 opponents to 8-12.
Afterward, the pair shared respectful words at net. Opelka said taking wise risk was the key to his first Top 10 win since he toppled then No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2021 Toronto semifinals.
“He’s the greatest tennis player the sport has ever seen. It’s difficult being in Novak’s position,” Opelka said. “He can scout me or his other opponents all day long. The reality is we have nothing to lose against him. He’s the greatest player ever.
“So you end up playing more free and you do things. You take a lot more risk because it’s your only chance. If you play at your normal level or even above your normal level, he’s gonna win every time. It’s tough because he gets guys that roll the dice and on a day like this a lot of things go my way. That’s how it works out.”
Former Wimbledon junior champion Opelka, who was sidelined nearly two years due to hip surgery and a couple of wrist surgeries, said Djokovic was his inspiration as he sat on the couch recovering from surgery and dreaming of a comeback.
For Opelka, Djokovic is not only GOAT—he’s a powerful source of inspiration as well.
“It was tough. I had a lot of uncertainty—a lot of doubt,” Opelka said of his extended and enforced absence from tennis. “I watched a lot of my friends on TV. I watched Tommy and Taylor and Frances and Ben do great, which was fun and also motivating for me. It definitely kept me interested in the sport.
“I watched Novak become the greatest in that two year period off. A lot of times you ask yourself ‘What would Novak be doing in my situation?’ Even when you’re in a sleeve you’re always trying to maximize and that’s kind of the effect he’s had on the sport.
“I think that’s why you see a guy like Jannik reminds you a little bit of someone else 10 years ago and Carlos. That’s how the sport evolves is competition. I stayed the course even when I was in a cast and on crutches and was just hoping to have another chance out here like tonight.”
Tonight, the massive-serving Opelka showed the dominant delivery and a whole lot more gears to his game. Opelka moved well, used his wide wingspan to crack some invasive running strikes and kept the Serbian superstar unsettled in snapping Djokovic’s 34-match winning streak against American opponents.
It was Djokovic’s first loss to an American since the 2016 Wimbledon.
Two days before the Fourth of July, 2016 Sam Querrey slammed 31 aces scoring a seismic 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5) Wimbledon third-round upset of reigning champion Djokovic on Court No. 1.
Since that loss, Djokovic had left an assortment of Americans red, white and bruised in his wake.
Tonight, Opelka mixed power and poise serving 77 percent, winning 13 of 15 second-serve points and serving out his biggest win in years with confidence to reach his 15th career semifinal.
Opelka will face Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the man Nick Kyrgios says owns the biggest serve he’s ever seen, in a clash of seismic servers for a spot in the final. Defending champion Grigor Dimitrov meets Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka in the bottom-half semifinal.
During the fifth game, Djokovic seemed to strain his ankle a bit but still threw down a love hold for 3-2.
Opelka answered with his second straight love hold to level after six games.
Twenty-eight minutes into the match, Opelka ripped a drive to earn the first break point of the night. Djokovic denied it winning a 10-shot rally.
Though Opelka wasn’t moving forward much, he was living with the Grand Slam king from the baseline. Opelka dipped a low backhand pass for a third break point. Djokovic slid a serve winner down the T to save it.
The 37-year-old Serbian superstar stood tall in the longest game of the match, holding firm for 5-4.
The 6’11” Opelka once cited David Ferrer as one of his all-time favorite players. Showing lateral movement that would make the speedy Spaniard proud, Opelka reached 30-all on Djokovic’s serve in the 11th game.
The top-seeded Djokovic survived the stress holding for 6-5.
Rolling through a two-ace game, Opelka forced the first-set tiebreaker after 47 minutes of play.
Crushing a crackling inside-out forehand, Opelka jumped out to a 4-2 tiebreaker lead. Djokovic regained the mini break and hit an ace to level at 4-all.
A dipping pass put Djokovic ahead 5-4 in the breaker, but Opelka hammered a drive down the line then followed with a big serve for set point.
Djokovic saved it before Opelka threw down a smash for a second set point. Opelka lasered an ace down the T to snatch the 57-minute opener.
The man sporting the pink Fila cap and matching pink shoes left Djokovic seeing red.
Opelka served 83 percent, pumped 12 aces and won 30 of 35 points played on his serve in the 57-minute opening set.
Former world No. 17 Opelka surprised Djokovic scalding a running strike for a break point in the fourth game of the second set.
Showing his baseline prowess, Opelka slammed a diagonal forehand winner earning the first break of the night with a bang for a 3-1 second-set lead.
A slightly frazzled Djokovic shoveled a drop shot attempt wide as Opelka backed up the break for 4-1.
When Opelka’s moment of truth arrived, he blasted an ace and serve winner for triple match point.
Opelka rocketed one final ace down the middle to close it in 100 minutes.
It’s a giant step for Opelka.
After all he’s endured, Opelka knows it’s also one more step on a long and arduous comeback journey.
“Melbourne, the big show, is in a week obviously this is great and this is all prep for Melbourne,” Opelka said. “This is s step along the way. This is great. I’m excited but it’s kind of the beginning of a new start.
“I’ve got a long way to go to get my ranking back where I’d like it and my endurance back where I’d like it to get to compete at this level week in and week out. Anyone can do it for a night or two here or there but the difficult part is sustaining it over a year, over an 11 month season.”