“You really don’t get many opportunities to get your ranking back up,” said Reilly Opelka as he thanked the authorities for gracing him with a wildcard at the Dallas Open. The American ATP star’s last appearance in Dallas turned out to be remarkable, as he clinched the inaugural title back in 2022. Making a comeback after three years, he now has a challenge lined up against Cameron Norrie. Here are the odds and a prediction for the winner to move ahead.

Reilly Opelka vs Cameron Norrie: Preview

Reilly Opelka, ranked No. 145, reached the second round with a solid straight-sets win over Alexander Shevchenko, 7-6(3), 6-4. He won 67 points compared to Shevchenko’s 57 and played aggressively, hitting 34 winners. His serve was a key factor, firing 18 aces without a single double fault. Opelka dominated on serve, winning 83% of his first-serve points and 68% on his second-serve, never facing a break. He also capitalized on his only break point to secure the win. His best result this year was reaching the final in Brisbane.

Cameron Norrie, on the other hand, reached the second round after a tough win against Alex Michelsen, coming back from a set down to win 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-1. Despite winning fewer total points (90) than Michelsen (94), Norrie played his best in the key moments. He hit 52 winners and was aggressive throughout the match. His serve was solid, with 7 aces and only 2 double faults. He lost his serve 3 times but saved 11 break points. Norrie landed 72% of his first serves, winning 68% of those points, and converted 3 out of 8 break chances (38%).

Opelka vs Norrie: Head-to-head

The head-to-head table between Reilly Opelka and Cameron Norrie is currently inclined towards the Brit. In a total of 3 matches played against each other, the 29-year-old won two times. Their last showdown was recorded back in 2022 when Norrie took down the American Rival in straight sets at the Delray Beach Open.

Prediction: Reilly Opelka to win in 3 sets

Reilly Opelka remains one of the most dangerous servers on tour despite past injury struggles. Despite incurring multiple surgeries, he made a strong return in 2024 and therefore climbed over 600 ranking spots. This season, he reached the Brisbane final, defeating Novak Djokovic, and pushed Tomas Machac to five sets in the Australian Open.

Norrie had a tougher opening match, coming back from a set down to beat Alex Michelsen while saving 11 break points and losing serve three times. Another factor that puts him under pressure is a massive health concern that he unveiled following the Australian Open exit.

Opelka’s serve remains his biggest weapon, while Norrie looks to extend rallies and capitalize on break chances. Opelka has yet to drop serve in the tournament, while Norrie faced multiple break points in his opening match. The fast conditions in Dallas favor Opelka’s serve, giving him a slight edge in a close match.

Pick: Opelka to win in 3 sets.