Opelka In Knockout Form With Boxing Champ In His Corner

Reilly Opelka had the best week of his career at the New York Open, lifting his maiden ATP Tour trophy. And the American on Tuesday maintained his momentum with a 6-4, 6-0 win against compatriot Tennys Sandgren at the Delray Beach Open.

Never before had he lost so few games in a tour-level match. You can say it was a knockout performance. So it was only fitting that World Boxing Organisation Middleweight Champion Demtrius Andrade was in Opelka’s box cheering on the 6’11” right-hander.

“He’s from here and I met him a couple years back,” said Opelka, who began training in nearby Boca Raton at 13. “He’s doing great. He’s had an unreal year, and last year, too. He’s very professional.”

While Opelka and Andrade don’t often speak about tennis or boxing, they’ve struck up a friendship. Both men have the utmost respect for one another’s efforts in their respective fields.

“I didn’t realise how tough it is on those guys,” Opelka said. “They go a few days without even drinking much water [when they have to cut weight]. It’s brutal.”

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Andrade used to play some tennis. While he doesn’t have much time for it anymore with his boxing obligations, the 30-year-old enjoyed watching his first live tennis match.

“It was cool,” Andrade said. “It was a good experience to understand the whole game, the format of it and seeing my boy Reilly put in some work and get the ‘W’.”

Opelka is in great form, climbing to a career-best World No. 56 this week thanks to his triumph in New York. He will look to make his second consecutive quarter-final in Delray Beach when he faces Juan Martin del Potro or Yoshihito Nishioka.

“It’s great. It’s always good to see anybody doing well, especially if you know them and can support them. I had time to come support him today so I’m here and I plan on supporting him on Thursday, hoping to see him get the ‘W’ as well,” Andrade said. “Just as I support him he’s going to come out to my fights and events and support me. It’s a great experience to meet people in different sports and different levels of their life.”

While Opelka is quickly ascending the ATP Rankings and he is happy to have Andrade in his corner, you won’t see him stepping in a boxing ring against the champion anytime soon.

“No,” Opelka said, cracking a laugh. “That wouldn’t be fun.”

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/2tzpWYl