Reilly Opelka turned his luck around this time. This American athlete defeated Novak Djokovic in the Brisbane International tournament’s quarterfinals by 7(8)-6(6), and 6-3 in one hour thirty-nine minutes match at the Pat Rafter Arena yesterday. The US player who struggled with physical setbacks for the last two seasons, received a pat on the back from Serena Williams’ former coach Renae Stubbs, who showered the ATP star with heartfelt compliments.

A former ATP number 17, Opelka spent the majority of his last two seasons off the court struggling with nagging wrist and hip injuries. Upon his return, this US athlete bagged his career’s monumental win by defeating the former number one Novak Djokovic. “I’m excited, but this is kind of the beginning of a new start for me, I’ve got a long way to go to get my ranking back where I’d like it, and my endurance back where I can compete at this level week in, week out,” he said.

Opelka’s victory delighted veteran coach and Serena Williams’ mentor Rennae Stubbs. Se shared the ATP Tour’s update about the US player on her IG story with an adorable caption: “I’M TRULY SO HAPPY FOR THIS GUY! HE’S BEEN THRU HELL THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH HIS INJURIES AND THIS IS A GREAT STORY OF RESILENCE! WELL DONE MATE” . Stubbs’ words echoed her admiration for Opelka’s zeal and spirit despite numerous setbacks.

This ATP star attained his career-high rank of ATP number 17 in 2022. However, not even six months passed to this and the ATP star started realizing that his hip problem became unbearable. During the 2022 US Open’s debut day, Opelka had surgery to remove a benign tumor. After that, he underwent another wrist surgery that completely dismissed his expectation to return to the court in 2023 with the Delray Beach tournament which he won in 2020. The player went through two surgeries. However, the first surgery didn’t go well and Opelka told Palm Beach Post’s Marc Berman that “a bad surgeon” not only performed poorly at his job but also left him with more pain and nerve-related problems.

Despite such challenges, Reilly Opelka didn’t let his spirit go down and started the 2025 season with an iconic victory over Djokovic. Post-victory he shared his feelings which showcased him not only as an accomplished player but a humble human being who deserves all the praise he received for his recent performance.

Reilly Opelka praised his idol Novak Djokovic after overpowering him in Brisbane

Post-victory, Opelka said about Djokovic, “He’s the greatest tennis player the sport has ever seen, It’s difficult being in Novak’s position: he can scout me or any opponent all day long, but the reality is we have nothing to lose coming in against him. He’s the greatest player ever, so you end up playing more free and you end up taking a lot more risks because it’s your only chance.” Opelka’s words expressed his sheer admiration for Djokovic.

At the net, he also shared his heartfelt liking for the Serb. “I was rooting for you so hard when I was out [with an injury], Asking myself, ‘What would Novak do?'” he said to Djokovic. Then he added, “I  watched Novak become the greatest and through that two-year period off, you find yourself asking things like, ‘What would Novak be doing in my situation?’ Even when you’re in a sleeve, you’re always trying to maximize and that’s the effect he’s had on the sport.”

Reilly Opelka’s recent win in Brisbane showcases the most-awaited return of his form that his followers missed for the last two seasons. With a humble take on his opponent and zeal in his eyes, this US player is ready to fight against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the semifinals. Whether he wins or not is a separate discussion, his performance to date has already impressed the fraternity highlighting that this ATP star might give tough competition to players in the coming tournaments. What do you think about it?