Field Level Media
11 Aug 2025, 05:10 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Reilly Opelka smacked 14 aces and saved all seven break points while posting a 7-6 (6), 6-4 upset victory over No. 6 seed Alex de Minaur on Sunday to reach the third round of the Cincinnati Open at Mason, Ohio.
Opelka defeated de Minaur for the first time in six all-time meetings. He had 35 winners and converted 75.6 percent of his first-serve points.
'My forehand helped me a lot and my backhand, playing with a lot of offense and I was pretty consistent from the baseline the whole match,' Opelka said. 'My serve fluctuated, and it was a bit of a surprise that the other things came through well for me today. I think I returned really well too.'
Another factor was that de Minaur had just six winners and two aces. The Australian standout's failure to convert a break point was also a key element in the match.
Opelka will next face Argentina's Francisco Comesana, who advanced by beating 29th-seeded Luciano Darderi. Comesana led 6-4, 3-1 when Darderi retired due to a lower-back injury.
Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz wasn't overly sharp, but the Spaniard notched a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Bosnian Damir Dzumhur.
Alcaraz had 44 unforced errors and just 21 winners. He also failed to save any of his three break points.
'It was just a rollercoaster,' Alcaraz said. 'Lots of good feelings, bad feelings, back to the good ones. All I can say is I am happy to get the win at the end and just have another chance to be better.'
'I will try tomorrow to have my confidence back because today it was a little bit tricky,' he continued. 'Damir plays really smart tennis, which I have to be focused and ready for that.'
Dzumhur had just 11 winners and made 36 unforced errors.
In other matches, No. 9 Andrey Rublev of Russia defeated Learner Tim 7-6 (4), 6-3, and Australia's Adam Walton recorded a 6-7 (0), 6-4, 6-1 win over No. 12 Daniel Medvedev of Russia. No. 16 Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic notched a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Ethan Quinn.
No. 21 Alexei Popyrin of Australia knocked off Spain's Martin Landaluce 7-6 (3), 6-3, while Czech Jiri Lehecka, the No. 22 seed, rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over Tristan Boyer.
Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut registered a 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 32 seed Cameron Norrie of Great Britain. Jenson Brooksby beat France's Arthur Cazaux 7-5, 6-1.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Calgary Monitor news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Calgary Monitor.
More InformationThe scheduled Aug. 15 Trump-Putin meeting in the U.S. state of Alaska is expected to focus on a settlement to the Ukraine crisis while...
(Photo credit: Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Australian Steve Allan birdied the final hole to forge...
(Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images) Brionna Jones scored 15 points and added 11 rebounds and Allisha Gray recorded 10 of...
(Photo credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Reilly Opelka smacked 14 aces and saved all seven...
(Photo credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images) Shane van Gisbergen delivered some Down Under redemption at Watkins Glen International...
(Photo credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images) Shane van Gisbergen continued his dominance of NASCAR's road courses Sunday, speeding...
(Photo credit: Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Australian Steve Allan birdied the final hole to forge...
(Photo credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images) Darren Yapi scored his first career brace to lift the visiting Colorado Rapids to a 2-1 victory...
(Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images) Brionna Jones scored 15 points and added 11 rebounds and Allisha Gray recorded 10 of...
(Photo credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images) Ernie Clement hit the first pitch of the ninth inning over the fence in left and the visiting...
(Photo credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Reilly Opelka smacked 14 aces and saved all seven...
(Photo credit: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Adrian Del Castillo had three hits, including his first...
