Reilly Opelka opens up about the moment in his career that he will never forget

Reilly Opelka recently opened up about one special moment in his career that will forever be etched in his memory.

Opelka has been out of action since August last year as he continues to recover from multiple injuries. He last won an ATP singles title in April last year in Houston, Texas.

In a recent interview with Players Tribune, Reilly Opelka spoke about one memorable moment from his career that he will never forget - his first ATP point.

It served as a turning point for him, as he began to treat his career like a business. The newfound motivation pushed Opelka to train more intensely and focus on his diet and sleep for optimal performance.

"As basic as it sounds, my first ATP point, I started treating it like a business. Motivated me to start training more in depth and focus on the little details - eating, sleeping," Opelka said.

Opelka further revealed that his decision to pursue tennis as a profession was sparked by attending a Masters 1000 match in Cincinnati. It was at that moment the American knew he wanted to pursue the sport professionally.

"When I was 10 years old, I went to Cincinnati to see a Masters 1000 in person and that's when I knew I wanted to pursue it," he continued.

Reilly Opelka also shed light on the journey of a tennis player. He revealed that many people are unaware of the hard work and dedication required to maintain a top-ranking position. Each year presents a new challenge, as players have only 11 months to defend their points and remain at the pinnacle of their game.

"The journey every year is a new one. It starts Jan 1 and ends Dec 5th. 11 months season and you have to defend your points every year," Opelka added.

When asked to describe his style, Opelka stated that it is "contrarian". The 25-year-old also revealed that playing tennis provides him with a sense of independence and freedom.

"Makes me feel totally independent, with total freedom. No restrictions," he said.

When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, Reilly Opelka shared that he would encourage himself to focus on building his career from the very beginning and be the "CEO".

"I would tell my younger self to take control of my career ASAP Rocky. Hire build out team earlier; treat it like a business where I'm the CEO," he stated.

---

"He is the undisputed greatest tennis player" - Reilly Opelka on Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic's unwavering commitment to his principles, regardless of the circumstances, has left a lasting impression on Reilly Opelka. The American labeled Djokovic as the greatest tennis player ever to grace the sport.

During an episode of the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, Opelka commended Djokovic for his steadfastness in taking a stand and sticking to it. This is a trait that Opelka believes many other players have failed to exhibit.

"People like criticizing Novak," Reilly Opelka said. "He has applied those concepts that he has in life like him having the courage to just take a stand, not play both sides of the coin like how his peers do and just face things head on is the reason why he is the undisputed greatest tennis player that has ever lived."