¿What happens when the two biggest ‘bombers’ on the circuit face each other in a tennis match? Well, the list of records trembles. That has been the case of the duel carried out by the Americans Reilly Opelkanumber 23 in the ATP and 2.11 tall, and John Isnernumber 26 on the same list and 2.08 tall.
Opelka has overcome Isner in the semifinals of the ATP 250 tournament in Dallas in two sets that, of course, were resolved in sudden death. The first by 9-7 and the second by… 24-22!!. We talk about Tiebreak with the most points in the history of the ATP Tour, dating back to 1990. Opelka would then sign the official record of the match so that what was achieved would go down in history.
At the ITF level, there is a longer tiebreaker, the one disputed between the Monegasques Ballet and Couillard in the preview of a Futures at Plantation during the 2013 season, which ended 36-34!!
The duel, which lasted two hours and one minute, was a continuous display of power by both tennis players, who added up to 60 aces, another ATP record in a two-set duel.
But it doesn’t end there because Opelka added 39 of those aces, which is the third record of the contest. In the entire duel there was hardly a double fault, by Isner, and not a miserable break ball.
This was the fifth match between the two since 2016 and it was Opelka’s fourth victory. However, the most striking thing is that of the 15 sets they have played, 13 were resolved in sudden death.
Opelka’s rival in the final will also be the American Jenson Brooksbywho raised up to four match balls against Marcos Giron.
