Can Reilly Opelka snap Rafael Nadal's winning streak in their upcoming clash at Indian Wells Masters?

Rafael Nadal has been invincible so far this season. He is currently on a 17-match winning streak in 2022. The Spaniard is just one win away from surpassing Roger Federer’s tally of 17 match wins that he recorded at the beginning of the 2018 season.

After getting the better of Sebastian Korda and Dan Evans in the opening couple of rounds at Indian Wells, the 21-time Grand Slam champion will lock horns with Reilly Opelka in the last 16.

The big-serving American has had a decent run so far this season. He won the title in Dallas and was the runner-up at the Delray Beach Open. In his Round-of-32 clash at the Indian Wells Masters, he recorded a come-from-behind victory over Denis Shapovalov, edging past the Canadian 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4.

He now faces a stiff challenge from Rafael Nadal, who has been in red-hot form since the onset of the season. While this may not be a great match-up for Opelka considering the slow and heavy court conditions at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, he can still draw inspiration from his win over Shapovalov.

As Nadal and Opelka gear up to face each other, let's dive deeper into three things the American needs to do if he fancies upsetting the Spaniard.

#1 Reilly Opelka needs to serve big

At 6’ 11”, Opelka’s most lethal weapon is his serve. The courts in Indian Wells are predominantly slow and high bouncing, similar in many ways to a claycourt. The conditions are heavy, which is not conducive to hitting flat and through an opponent.

In such a scenario, against someone like Nadal, who has a strong baseline game, Opelka needs to make the most of his powerful serve. Opelka might find it difficult to match Rafael Nadal’s physical game. However, if he manages to execute his serve effectively, he can certainly mount pressure on the Spaniard.

On the deuce court, especially, Opelka can gain the upper hand by serving big out wide to Nadal’s backhand wing.

#2 Pepper Rafael Nadal’s backhand wing

2022 BNP Paribas Open - Rafael Nadal playing a backhand

The forehand is the strongest aspect of Nadal's game, and he uses it brilliantly, either to set up points or to hit clean and crisp winners.

Opelka must strategically aim to stay away from Nadal’s forehand. Instead, he should pepper Nadal’s backhand to limit his opponent’s aggression. While Nadal does not have a weak backhand, it is certainly less potent than his forehand.

If Opelka can target Nadal’s backhand for a considerable amount of time, thereby robbing him of his favorite shot, he can certainly induce some errors from the Spaniard's racket.

#3 Opelka needs to employ an aggressive approach

In a rematch of last year’s Rome Masters semifinal, Opelka must be willing to step out of his comfort zone if he fancies downing the Spaniard. The 24-year-old American can take a leaf out of Sebastian Korda’s book and employ an aggressive approach against the Spaniard. In the second and third sets, Korda was methodically aggressive against Nadal in their Round of 64 clash and that nearly paid dividends for the young American.

Employing an aggressive approach, Opelka must aim for winners and rush to the net whenever there is an opportunity to put Nadal under pressure. The American should also look to mix things up by playing occasional drop shots to keep the Spaniard guessing.

Nadal has simply refused to yield no matter what the situation so far this year. His remarkable comeback against Korda in his tournament opener in Indian Wells attests to this fact. Considering Nadal’s current form, it will need a superhuman effort from Opelka to snap the Spaniard’s winning run.

It will be intriguing to witness what kind of tactics Opelka employs in his much-awaited clash against Rafael Nadal at the Indian Wells Masters.

Also Check Out: Indian Wells Masters 2022 Results