Opelka Triumphs Over Mpetshi Perricard in Brisbane, Marks First Final Appearance Since 2022
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Brisbane, Jan 4 (NationPress) In an exciting contest between two of the most formidable serves on the ATP Tour, Reilly Opelka emerged victorious against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the Brisbane International on Saturday. The towering 6’11” Opelka claimed a 6-3, 7-6(4) win over 6’8” Mpetshi Perricard, marking his first appearance in an ATP Tour final since 2022.
"It is fantastic to be in another final. I had my doubts about participating in one after the past year," Opelka stated, having faced significant challenges due to a wrist and hip injury that sidelined him for most of the previous two years. "A miraculous Canadian helped me recover, and once I was free of pain, my confidence returned."
With this victory, which lasted 85 minutes, the American not only recorded his 100th tour-level win but also advanced to his seventh tour-level final. Opelka is aiming for his fifth ATP Tour title and his first since Houston in 2022, where he will compete against Jiri Lehecka in the championship match on Sunday, according to the ATP's official website.
After his semifinal victory, Opelka has made a comeback into the Top 200 of the ATP Live Rankings. He notably defeated Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals, marking his eighth victory against a Top 10 player. The 27-year-old followed that impressive performance with another strong showing against Mpetshi Perricard.
Opelka became the first player of the season to break the serve of the 21-year-old, while his own serve remained unyielding. The American won an impressive 85 percent (40/47) of his first-serve points, saved all four break points he faced, and delivered 12 aces, as reported by Infosys ATP Stats. He did require a medical timeout for a wrist injury during the first set but was not significantly affected.
"Such things can happen. It started to hurt a bit in the second round, and I tweaked it slightly on a reaction shot, but it will be fine," Opelka commented regarding his wrist injury. "I am not overly concerned," he added.
Mpetshi Perricard had an impressive 75 aces in his first three matches this week in Brisbane, adding another 10 against Opelka. However, the Frenchman, who was seeking his third ATP Tour title, faltered early on his serve in his inaugural ATP head-to-head clash with Opelka and failed to recover.
"This guy is formidable. I have seen him beat Sebastian Korda at Wimbledon, and it was truly impressive," Opelka remarked about Mpetshi Perricard. "He is an athlete with a remarkable physique, serving and moving exceptionally well."
In the day's first semifinal, Lehecka reached his fourth ATP Tour final after defending champion Grigor Dimitrov had to retire due to injury. Lehecka was leading 6-4, 4-4 and had been serving impressively throughout the 78-minute match, not facing a single break point. The Czech player also secured 85 percent (22/26) of his first-serve points before the match was halted.
Lehecka, currently ranked No. 26 in the ATP Live Rankings, has positive memories from Australia. Last year, he won his first tour-level title in Adelaide and has only dropped one set on his way to the title match at the ATP 250 in Brisbane. He holds a 3-1 lead against Dimitrov in their ATP head-to-head series. Dimitrov is aiming for his third title in Brisbane and his tenth overall on the tour.
