What a comeback from Reilly Opelka! The 26-year-old American tennis star had last played a tour-level match nearly 2 years in August 2022 in Washington. He returned to action this year at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport. Guess what? The former world number 17 has now made it to the Quarterfinals as well! In the QF, he will face his compatriot Mackenzie McDonald, who has looked good so far in this tournament. Who will win this battle of two Floridians?

Reilly Opelka vs Mackenzie McDonald: Preview

Opelka underwent surgery on his hip and his wrists which kept him out of action for such a long time. Making a comeback after having gone through multiple surgeries is never an easy task, but Reilly has proved everyone wrong with his incredible performance in Newport.

He defeated France’s Constant Lestienne in his first match and then, in the second, he beat another Frenchman Adrian Mannarino by 6-4,3-6,6-4. So, far Opelka has hit 35 aces in his two matches in this competition. Out of those, 19 came in his previous match against Mannarino. He committed just a single double fault in that match and won 88% of his first serve and 46% of his second serve. Opelka managed to convert two out of his four breakpoints against the Frenchman in the R16 clash.

On the contrary, his opponent in the QF, McDonald hasn’t had a great season so far. His best result has been reaching the R16 twice in his previous tournaments this year. However, now he has managed to take a step further. He defeated Australia’s Rinky Hijikata in the first round and then in the R16 he beat Harris to make way into the Floridian duel in the QF.

In his match against Harris, McDonald hit six aces but didn’t commit any double fault. He won 93% of his first serve and 83% of his second serve. In the breakpoints, he recorded 3/9 and now it’ll be interesting to see if he can improve his numbers further against  Opelka. Have these two tennis stars met each other in their careers, though?

Opelka vs McDonald: Head-to-Head

This will be their fourth meeting, but they have never competed against each other on grass in the main Tour. Currently, Opelka leads the H2H scoreline with a 2-1 margin. Their previous three meetings are as follows:

• 2020 Delray Beach Open, Reilly Opelka regained his lead over his compatriot with a two-set victory in the R16.
• 2019 Challenger Dallas, US, McDonald achieved a two-set triumph, leveling the H2H 1-1..
• 2016 Challenger Charlottesville, US, Opelka defeated McDonald by 6-3,6-4 in the Semis.

Can Opelka hold onto his advantage, or will McDonald fight back to tie things up?

Prediction: Opelka to win in three sets

Opelka’s comeback is a dream! The grass court is his perfect canvas, and his serve – well, it’s a symphony of power and consistency. McDonald might struggle to return it, putting Opelka on track for a tournament win reminiscent of his pre-injury dominance. The former even has a strong volley in his armory. However, he has struggled a bit with his movements in his previous matches.

To win, Mackenzie McDonald has to look at this as an opportunity and he should try to make his opponent run as much as possible. McDonald can hit some really effective flat shots and he often tends to come forward utilizing his incredible speed during his matches.

His favorite shot is forehand, but is it enough to topple the world number 1188? Well, McDonald (99) is way ahead of Opelka in terms of ranking, but remember it’s mainly due to the latter’s absence from the tour. Opelka has a win-loss record of 2-1 so far this season, compared to McDonald’s 3-9. Buckle up, because breaking Opelka’s serve will be a near-impossible feat for any remaining opponent. Tiebreaks might be the only chance, but even getting there will be a challenge with his stellar returning skills.