By Scoop Malinowski
Status: ATP ranked 42. Winner of ATP singles title at 2019 New York Open.
Ht: 6-11 Wt: 210
DOB: August 28, 1997 In: St. Joseph, Michigan
First Tennis Memory: When we moved to Florida (age 4). Probably seeing some kids playing. Tom Gullikson kind of introduced tennis to me really seriously. Every since I kind of kept playing serious (age 7).
Tennis Inspirations: I always liked all the American guys, Blake, Roddick, Isner. I always root for the Americans.
Current Car: Ford pickup (blue).
First Famous Player You Met Or Encounterd: Tom Gullikson.
Greatest Moment of Career: So far…hmmm…probably when I won New York Open this year.
Most Painful Moment: I was up once 5-1, 40-love in the third and I lost. And I had nine match points. That was 2011, an ITF event against Vitali Scherba. Nice guy, we still joke around about it. (What happened?) I don’t know. I remember it was 5-1 40-love in the third set, he had a second serve and I remember I just tried to rip it because I had match point. Didn’t think anything would happen. I missed it. And then I kind of lost it from there. It was nuts.
At Best: There was a match where I didn’t really miss a serve. I didn’t play great from the back but I hit like seven aces in a row. And I won like 3 and 3. But that match I think I lost two points on my serve.
Why Do You Love Tennis: I like when it’s just one on one. To be honest, I’m not a doubles guy. I like when it’s just me versus them. And kinda fun. You can adjust certain things about it. There’s always something you can do that can affect a match. You have an affect on your opponent. Where like in other sports, for example, running or swimming, you can’t control the outcome if someone is faster than you.
Strangest Match: Always a ton of those [smiles].
Favorite Sport Outside Tennis: Basketball.
Three Athletes You Like To Watch & Follow: Floyd Mayweather. Kevin Durant. Lebron James.
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: I’d say I went for a tweener once when I was younger and I – on clay – and I missed it and tripped and I went face-first into a sprinkler. That was pretty awesome, pretty funny. (Finish match?) I did. I won.
Closest Tennis Friends: Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul.
Nickname: Rilo.
People Qualities Most Admired: I like someone that’s straight up. Honest. I like someone that is straight forward.
Opelka vs Isner Dallas Open highlights
Dallas Open · Fila · Reilly Opelka · Wilson
