Alcaraz *4-3 Opelka
When playing against all seven feet and 140mph of Reilly Opelka’s serve, it’s easy to assume that returning is the focus. But players tend to say different: they need to take care of their serves, and then expend their energy on returning.
Carlos Alcaraz, who has joked about wanting to be a “serve bot” in recent times, is botting on Arthur Ashe Stadium. He’s made 83 percent of his first serves and won the point on every single one.
Opelka has made 58 percent of his first deliveries by comparison, and despite some second-serve aces that have whizzed past Alcaraz’s ears, he finds himself down a break at 4-3 to Alcaraz.
The haircut might be “terrible,” per Frances Tiafoe of the U.S., but the tennis has been irrepressible.