Welcome to the sixth edition of the Cracked Racquets #NextGenATP American series: Reilly Opelka.

Our Guidelines[1]: This series will detail eleven American prospects we think can succeed on the men’s tour. Every week, members of the Cracked Racquets team will answer ten questions about a different #NextGen prospect. Our answers will provide analyses, opinions, and of course, hot takes regarding that player’s ability, social media presence, potential, and many other tennis-related things. Provocative statements were encouraged, as were anecdotes about any personal experiences with these players.

Our first five articles examined the career prospects of Noah Rubin, Ernesto Escobedo, Jared Donaldson, Chris Eubanks, and Tommy Paul. This week, I am joined by Cracked Racquets co-founder Dalton Thieneman, CTO Daniel Westhoff, Money Maker Alex Araiza, and Contributor Parker Thieneman to discuss the second player of the #NextGenATP eleven born in 1997, Reilly Opelka[2].

We apologize in advance if anyone is offended by our thoughts, and as always, encourage those who disagree to either comment on the article or tweet at us later. With that said, we hope you enjoy[3]!

As a bonus this week, Opelka was able to join the Cracked Interviews podcast this week. Dalton Thieneman and Great Shot Podcast host Alex Gruskin discuss Opelka’s 2017 season, the close relationships between the #NextGen players, who he compares himself to in the NBA, and much more! Have a listen above, or on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, & the Tune-in App.

Who is Reilly Opelka?

Bio: Born in St. Joseph, MI, 20 years old, 6’11” 220lbs. Aspiring hockey player. His jump shot isn’t too shabby either. Cereal addict with a self-proclaimed “less than ideal diet”. Proud owner of a Yorky. Favorite movie: Step Brothers. Doesn’t fit in the exit row. Has only gotten the Isner/Karlovic comparison once or twice in his life. Live Ranking: #226

Gamestyle: Big man tennis = Serve + forehand. Already hits dingers[4] on a daily basis, though his serve will get more consistent with experience. Displays good variety of spins/placements on his serve (kick/slice, out wide/down the t).

Utilizes the serve-and-volley, but currently most comfortable coming to the net after an approach shot. Best approach is his inside-out forehand. Big forehand back swing leads to trouble when on the run. Compact, smooth backhand is elite for his height, and is his better side on the return. Uses the backhand slice more as an approach shot then as a defensive tool.

Groundstroke consistency leaves much to be desired. Aggressively approaches the net, but currently behind Isner/Karlovic in terms of volleying skills. Movement will always be an issue, but sneaky lateral agility for someone his size. Overly aggressive returner who too often goes for broke on the shot. Goes for too much, too early in rallies. Shot selection needs improvement. Can get negative on the court, but his body language and ability to stay focused improved in 2017. When asked to describe his game with one word, Reilly said, “grinder, defensive, pusher”. We’ll have to agree to disagree

Social Media Presence: A+ Social Media user. Rolls with Klay Thompson, Mac Miller, Ty Montgomery, Vin Diesel, and Tommy Paul. And Tommy Paul again. And again. Best man at the Fritz Wedding. Extensive vocabulary (see his multiple twitter hashtags). Always walking tall. Does it for the kids. #TeamMulch #TeamNewBalance

Best Junior Results: Waco ITF doubles champion, Kalamazoo Boys 18’s doubles champion (w. Fritz), International Hard Court singles champion, Eddie Herr ITF singles champion, Junior Wimbledon singles champion. Former world #4 ranked junior.

Best Pro Results: 2016 Charlottesville Challenger singles champion, 2016 BB&T Atlanta semifinalist, qualified for Citi Open, Newport, Canadian Open in 2017. Lost to David Goffin in 5 sets at 2017 Australian Open. Has reached Challenger quarterfinals or better on hard courts, clay, and grass. Wins over Donald Young, Kevin Anderson, and Jeremy Chardy. Lost 7-6 in the third six different times in 2017.

#NextGen Wins: Michael Mmoh, Mikael Ymer, Miomir Kecmanovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Taylor Fritz, Alex De Minaur, Jared Donaldson, Casper Ruud, Ernesto Escobedo, Chris Eubanks, Frances Tiafoe, Elias Ymer

What’s the Moment You Became Aware of Reilly Opelka’s Presence/Potential?

Alex Araiza, Gets that $$ for Cracked Racquets: When he won the 2015 Junior Wimbledon.

Parker Thieneman, Writer for Cracked Racquets: The first time I became aware of this massive human was at Kalamazoo in 2015. He played Frances Tiafoe in the quarters and he put up a pretty convincing fight losing 4-6, 6-7, which I thought was pretty damn impressive.

Dalton Thieneman, Co-Founder of Cracked Racquets: At 6’11, Reilly Opelka is hard to hide (you knew the height joke was coming eventually). I first became aware of his potential last summer when he made a deep run at the BB&T Atlanta Open. At 19 years old, Reilly won his first three ATP matches to reach the semi-finals. Did I mention that he took out No. 27 Kevin Anderson after saving two match points?

Alex Gruskin, Host of the Great Shot Podcast: The rise of the #NextGen Americans began during the 2014 season. That year, fans were treated to numerous American junior successes, including the Tiafoe/Kozlov Orange Bowl Final[5], Kozlov’s run to the Australian Open junior final, and Noah Rubin’s Wimbledon/Kalamazoo sweep. With so many Americans taking home prominent titles, it became easy to overlook some of the players winning less significant events.

One of the less heralded results from 2014: Reilly Opelka’s title at the ITF Grade 1 International Hard Courts. While Grade 1 tournaments are not as significant as the junior slams, winning a Grade 1 title still requires an immense effort from any player. That Opelka’s run to the IHC title included wins over highly ranked juniors Michael Mmoh and Tim Van Rijthoven only added to his impressive feat, and definitely solidified his status as a top American prospect in my mind.

Can you guess who recorded video of Opelka’s IHC final ?? I’ll give you a hint: she’s the queen of American Junior Tennis, a gift to the entire tennis community, and mentioned in almost every single one of my articles. Still don’t know yet? How about this: Where does one find a Lion exhibit?

Dalton: Gruskin with his typical Kozlov/Colette Lewis plugs. Keep it in your pants, man.

What’s the Defining Moment of Reilly Opelka’s Junior Career?

Parker: I think the defining moment in his junior career was the win at Junior Wimbledon in 2015. He took home the trophy defeating Mikael Ymer demonstrating his ability to win on the big stage.

Dalton: I’m sure Gruskin will write a thesis on Reilly Opelka’s unseeded run to take home the 2015 Junior Wimbledon. And for good reason. Although he was a heralded junior (ranked No. 1 on TennisRecruiting.net that year), there’s no better way to make a splash on the international scene than to win a junior slam.

Araiza: Going five sets and eventually losing to David Goffin was big, but I think winning the 2015 Junior Wimbledon has been his defining moment so far.

Daniel Westhoff, CTO of Cracked Racquets: The defining moment of his career would obviously be winning Junior Wimbledon. Not only did he win this prestigious tournament, but he also beat one of his closest friends Taylor Fritz on his way to the championship.

Shameless plug, Opelka discusses being Fritz’s best man in the Cracked Interviews episode above!!

Dalton: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Gruskin: You guys seem to have the whole “he won Wimbledon” angle covered, so I’m going to go with a slightly different answer here. The most significant decision Reilly Opelka made in his career thus far was to move with his family to the USTA Training Center at the age of 12. While doctors are certainly capable of predicting patients’ heights, it is extremely unlikely that 12 year-old Opelka knew just how big he would end up. Now almost seven feet tall, Opelka still possesses the groundstroke fundamentals of a player far shorter in stature. His impeccable form is a testament to both the work of the USTA coaching staff, and to Opelka’s longtime commitment to the game of tennis.

Also, no USTA Training Center likely means no friendship with Tommy Paul. When imagining a tennis world without the Opelka/Paul duo, I cry a little inside.

Should Reilly Opelka Have Gone to College?

Parker: I think he should have gone to college. He has too many weaknesses right now and professionals on tour will be able to pick him apart. He needs time to develop into his massive stature, as well as improve his movement. He’s like a baby giraffe right now.

Araiza: Yes, just because I would have loved to see him overwhelm college players with his sheer amount of height.

Westhoff: Although he found a lot of success at the end of his junior career, I still think Reilly Opelka should have gone to college. He says he probably would have ended up at Florida. I think that spending some extra time playing doubles would really have aided his net game. Plus, the Gators were actually good at football back then, so he probably would have had the opportunity for a few decent tailgates.

Gruskin: Tennis is an expensive sport to play. Between the constant travels, endless restringing of racquets, and coaching/training fees, it is incredibly difficult for a low-level professional to make a decent living. Prize money at futures tournaments barely covers a player’s weekly expenses, and few players ranked below the top 200 receive much in the form of endorsement income. Too often, talented players are forced to leave the pro tour early, as they are no long able to afford playing the sport. To quote the great Big Sean: “Ain’t nothing more important than the mula!!”

In April of 2015, even though he had yet to crack the top 1000 in the ATP rankings, Opelka signed with agent Sam Duvall. Shortly thereafter, Opelka began wearing New Balance clothing. He had not even won junior Wimbledon, yet Opelka had already found people willing to make a financial commitment to his future. By skipping college, Opelka made a bet that he would be able to both improve his professional ranking and develop his body at the same time. Given his results on tour thus far, seems like it was a successful decision.

Dalton: As most of you know by now, I’m a big proponent of college tennis. Hoooooowever, Reilly 100% made the right decision to forgo college to go directly on tour. Not only was he physically ready, but his “big man tennis serve and forehand” game clearly translated from juniors to the big leagues instantaneously.

Who’s Your Favorite Pro-Comparison for Reilly Opelka?

Dalton: Cue the John Isner comparison in 3,2,1…. American. Near the 6’11 notch. Big serve. Big forehand. Ok, I get it. And I’ll have to give in on this one because it makes sense. Let’s hope Reilly cracks the top 25 and stays there as Isner has over the last five years.

Parker: At 6’11 its virtually impossible to not say Isner and Karlovic

Araiza: Juan Martin del Potro. Both know how to use their height to their advantage

Gruskin: The laziest comparison one can make is to simply call Reilly Opelka “The next John Isner”. So as to prevent these simple assessments by any person in the future, I want to take a second to compare the accomplishments of a 20 year-old John Isner with 20 year-old Reilly Opelka. This is not an attempt to diminish either player, but rather to explain how different the next five years of Opelka’s development will be from Isner’s track.

At age 20, John Isner was just finishing his second season at the University of Georgia. He took home the NCAA doubles title that year, and for the first time in his career, received All-American status in both singles and doubles. Though he is listed at 238 lbs now, John was probably 200 lbs back then. He earned his first ATP point about four months after his 20th birthday, and by the time he turned 21, had barely cracked the top 1000 of the rankings. The serve will always be Isner’s calling card, but even at age 32, he continues to struggle with his groundstroke consistency, particularly on the backhand side. Thus, despite his subsequent rise into the ATP top 20, one can only imagine the state of Isner’s groundstrokes at age 20.

Reilly Opelka, meanwhile, has already been ranked inside of the Top 200, won a Challenger title, and, having already experienced more than a full season on the ATP tour, does not need to worry about transitioning his game from college to the pros. Opelka has already begun to fill out his body, with his official weight listed at 220 lbs[6]. His backhand may already be better than Isner’s, and he has already shown flashes of being a far more competent returner then John.

So yes, I understand why people compare the two players. They’re both gigantours, and possess serves most players can only dream of. However, Opelka has far more advanced skills than Isner did at his age, and has the potential to become far more than Isner 2.0. Neither Isner nor Opelka can volley as well as Ivo Karlovic, and if I were Reilly that is the player whose film I would watch the most of. Also, given how healthy both Isner and Karlovic have remained during their careers; Opelka should hire their trainers immediately.

Dalton: So to summarize, his game reminds you of Isner’s…..

Gruskin: ugh………

What is Your Favorite Thing About Reilly Opelka Game?

Araiza: His serve. Followed up closely by his overhead.

Dalton: Serve/forehand 1-2 punch.

Gruskin: The backhand!! A seven-foot human should not be as coordinated as Reilly Opelka is, particularly on the backhand side. His ability to rip backhand returns early can prevent opponents from taking time away from him, and allows him to stay aggressive throughout matches. I am particularly fond of the way Opelka is able to hit the inside-in backhand return on the deuce side, as that is a personal favorite shot of mine as well. I’m also a big fan of his yelling “dinger” after every winner he hits. Tennis needs more in-match comedy, and Opelka has a Jerry Seinfeld-like arsenal of mid-match one-liners.

Westhoff: My favorite thing about Opelka’s game would be his groundstrokes. Both sides seem pretty solid, and he doesn’t seem to be afraid to get into a long point.

Parker: The fact that he’s twice everyone’s size.

What is Your Least Favorite Thing About Reilly Opelka’s Game?

Araiza: His consistency. The amount of unforced errors keeps him from moving past qualifying rounds.

Westhoff: My least favorite thing about his game would have to be his quickness. Although he towers over the court, Opelka seems to struggle when hitting shots on the run, usually because he’s a half step too slow to get into position. I know this sounds counter to the point I just made about him being solid on ground stroke and long points. I guess I’m saying he’s good at long points when he’s dictating, but struggles with defense.

Dalton: He needs to get more comfortable up at the net. This will have to be his bread and butter-especially in those third set breakers.

Parker: His game is one-dimensional right now. Lots of serves, lots of forehands, little else.

Gruskin: At this point in his career, Opelka lacks the shot discipline necessary to be so reliant on holding serve. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to have every match end in a tiebreaker, but Opelka lost six (!!!!) third set-tiebreakers this year. During a few of those losses, he even held match points. Opelka has flashed the ability to dominate on serve, but until he can stay disciplined enough to consistently make returns and dominate the net, he will play a lot of tiebreaker tennis.

Also, as much as I hate to agree with Dalton, Opelka definitely needs to improve his volleys. I just happen to think that, given his style of play, improved volleys are inevitable. To expedite things, he should play more doubles events with Taylor Fritz.

Power Rankings: Of the #NextGen Crew, Rank Reilly Opelka in Terms of Current Ability?

Parker: #4

Westhoff: I’d put Opelka at #5 for current ability ranking. He’s seen success on junior level, and has some weapons to compete at the professional level.

Dalton: #7

Gruskin: I have him at #5. My evidence: Just look at how many of the #NextGenATP guys he has already beaten. Yes he suffered some tough first round losses this year to Goffin, Shapovalov, Daniil Medvedev, and Diego Schwartzman, but even taking sets off of such quality players is an accomplishment for someone who cannot yet legally buy a drink[7].

Reilly Opelka suffered a slump during the Charlottesville and Knoxville challengers to end his year, but we should not let that take away from what was otherwise a successful transition season. Reaching tournament quarterfinals on hard courts, clay, and grass is an impressive accomplishment, regardless of one’s level of competition.

Araiza: #8

Power Rankings: Of the #NextGen Crew, Rank Reilly Opelka in Terms of Future Ability.

Gruskin: I’ll spare you all from too hot of a take, but I have Reilly Opelka ranked #2 on potential. I’ll refer you back to my Isner/Opelka argument from before. Given the flashes we’ve already seen from Opelka, I just think that, barring injury, Isner is the floor for the type of career he will have.

That is not meant to place an added burden on Opelka, but is simply my way of recognizing the immense racquet talent Opelka has for someone his size. Every point in tennis starts with the serve, and when you’re a seven-foot tennis player, the serve is an inherent advantage in your game. Even if Opelka’s movement, groundstrokes, and volleys improve only marginally over the rest of his career, his serve will ensure that he has a chance in every match he plays.

If he is able to successfully maximize the rest of his skills, look out ATP tour.

Dalton: #5.

Araiza: #5 if he can improve his consistency

Parker: #7

Westhoff: For future ability, I’d have to put him a little lower. Probably like #8. We’ve seen Isner struggle some to compete with the top players because he lack that extra quickness needed to play defense. I see the same issues happening for Reilly Opelka.

Give Me Your Projected Outcome For This Player’s Career.

Dalton: Ceiling: See above. The Isner comparisons happen for a reason, folks!

Floor: Karlovic.

Araiza: I expect to see him breeze past the qualifiers at Grand Slams, but don’t expect him to win a title.

Westhoff: I see Reilly Opelka’s career floating around a ranking of 100. I’m not sure he ever makes that jump to the top 50. I hope I’m wrong though.

Parker: He’ll crack the top 20 for sure, I just don’t know if a guy that tall can be mobile enough to keep up with guys a foot shorter than him. It also makes it much more difficult to go the distance in majors, as his conditioning will likely come into play.

Gruskin: In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m incredibly high on Reilly Opelka’s future. Success will not happen overnight. But it is easy for me to envision Opelka cracking the top 50 sometime this decade. His combination of serve, size, and on-court swagger outweigh any doubts I may have about his movement, and I have seen him have enough success at the net to feel confident that his volleys will improve. One always has to worry about the health of someone Opelka’s size, but with the combination of the new USTA headquarters, Isner’s mentorship, and Tommy Paul on his side, the future is incredibly bright for Opelka.

[1] If you already know the guidelines, I won’t be offended if you skip straight ahead to the article

[2] I know I used the same rhyme last time, but so what. Alliteration is fun!!

[3] Also, be sure to check out latest episode of The Great Shot Podcast, where Max Rothman and I analyze a different #NextGenATP prospect each week. So far, we have discussed the games of Chris Eubanks, Noah Rubin, Ernesto Escobedo, and Jared Donaldson.

[4] Dingers = Aces

[5] Technically that final was in December of 2013, but for the sake of narrative, I’m going to call that 2014.

[6] Though if he doesn’t lay off the cereal soon, that could sky rocket.

[7] I know I’ve used this joke before, but come on!! These kids are freaking unbelievable, and they haven’t even sipped an Oberon yet.