What a comeback Reilly Opelka has had! After two years of start and stop due to injuries and surgeries, the 6-foot-11 Opelka is back to his best. The American star is currently playing in the ATP Newport tournament on grass courts and is on a rampage, having reached the semifinals of the tournament. However, he’ll have his task cut out against his compatriot, Alex Michelsen, who is sure to give him a run for his money.

It will be a contrasting matchup between youth and experience as the 19-year-old Michelsen plays one of the biggest matches of his career. The youngster will be up against a giant-serving Opelka and the match is predicted to be a close contest between the two.

Reilly Opelka vs Alex Michelsen: Preview

The ATP Newport is Opelka’s first tournament this year, after having missed the earlier half of the season due to injuries. The American star has had hip and wrist problems in the past and underwent surgeries for both. However, it didn’t go as well as expected and he was sidelined for a lengthy period as recovery took time. In a shocking admission, Opelka even contemplated retirement as fitness issues prevented him from making a consistent return to the court.

Nonetheless, the American is back with a bang and having a dream run in ATP Newport. Earlier in the tournament, he caused a massive upset when he defeated the top seed, Adrian Mannarino, in a close encounter. In almost an identical encounter, Opelka then defeated Mackenzie McDonald, to reach the semifinal.

On the contrary, Michelsen has featured consistently in tournaments this year. Although he made a few quarterfinal appearances in tournaments this year, his performance in Newport is the best we’ve seen from him in 2024. The American sensation is seeded third and received a bye in the opening round. Subsequently, he defeated Maxime Cressy and Aleksander Kovacevic to reach the last 4. With a contrasting run this year, the match between Opelka and Michelsen would prove to be interesting to watch for the fans.

Opelka vs Michelsen: Head-to-Head

While Michelsen was on the rise over the last few years, Opelka spent much of the time on the sidelines due to injuries. Additionally, Michelsen is still in the early days of his career and hasn’t faced off against Opelka before. As a result, fans can expect twists and turns as Opelka and Michelsen face off against each other for the first time.

Prediction: Opelka to continue his winning run

Although Michelsen is seeded higher, Opelka is known to raise his game on big occasions. Additionally, he likes playing on the grass courts owing to his gigantic serves. While it is predicted to be a close encounter, expect Opelka to prevail in three sets and reach the final on his comeback. Their match will take place on the Center Court later today.