Fritz eliminates Opelka 6-3, 6-4 to reach Miami Open 4th round

In an all-American contest in South Florida, two friends took to stadium court hoping to reach the second week at this Masters 1000 event. Taylor Fritz from California has one title at this level – the 2022 Indian Wells tournament (def. Nadal). Reilly Opelka has yet to secure a trophy at this level, but in 2021 was a finalist in Canada (l. Medvedev).

Fritz achieved a career high rank of #4 in the fall of 2024 and is currently ranked #7. His best result in Miami was a semifinal appearance last year, where he lost in three tight sets to eventual champion Jakob Mensik.

Opelka was eager to make his maiden fourth-round appearance on home soil, having reached the third round three times (2019 & 2025). He endured an extended hiatus between 2022 and 2024 due to a chronic wrist injury.

Although he is currently ranked #67, as a former world #17, he was a dangerous, unseeded opponent. The 6’11 Michigan native defeated Nuno Borges 7-6 in the third in his opening match and dispatched former world #4 and 25th seed Jack Draper in two tiebreaks to reach the third round.

While they live on opposite coasts of the U. S., the twenty-eight-year-olds are close friends. Fritz led the head-to-head 5-1, including the last three. All six matches were contested on indoor/outdoor hard courts, and they last competed in 2021. Opelka’s lone victory was in straight sets in 2019 in Tokyo.

Fritz won the toss and chose to serve. He made 3/4 first serves, including an ace up the tee to hold at love, while Opelka struck two aces and held to 30 to level. Fritz held easily to 15 for 2-1 while Opelka donated four unforced errors and dumped serve.

The world #7 hit a spectacular crosscourt forehand and held to 15 to consolidate the break. Opelka opened the sixth with his fourth ace and held to 30 for 2-4. Fritz hit an ace out wide and held easily to 15 for 5-2. Opelka serving with new balls, struck two aces, the last on game point for 3-5 while Fritz clinched the set at love.

Opelka served first in the second and held at love, making 4/4 first serves while Fritz held to 15 with an ace up the tee. Opelka opened the third with two consecutive winners, including his seventh ace, and once again held at love while Fritz made 4/5 first serves and held easily to 15 for 2-2.

Opelka opened the fifth with his eighth ace and with three additional winners, including a forehand drop volley and a blistering backhand down the line, held to 30 to lead 3-2.

Fritz opened the sixth with an overhead smash and with a running forehand down the line, held at love to level. In the seventh or “swing” game, Opelka confronted a multitude of challenges. He reached 30-30 with his tenth ace and despite four additional winners, faced five deuce, four break points, and dropped serve.

Fritz, serving with new balls, struck two consecutive forehand winners and held to 15 to consolidate the break for 5-3. Opelka serving to stay in the match, faced double match point but with a winning backhand down the line, and a netted one from Fritz, held for 4-5!

Fritz served for the match and a spot in the round of sixteen. The Californian made 4/4 first serves, reached triple match point, and secured it with an ace out wide.

During the sixty-three-minute match, there were scant extended rallies; the return was paramount. When serving, Fritz won 73% of second serve points, and when receiving, won  30% of first and 59% of second serve points. He did not face a break point and converted 6/8.    

Next up, the 21st seed, Jiri Lehecka. The 24-year-old from Czechia, with two career titles, reached a career-high rank of #16 but is currently ranked #22. After receiving a bye in the first round, he has not dropped a set en route to the fourth round. Fritz leads the head-to-head 4-1, but Lehecka won their most recent match last September in three sets in Davis Cup qualifiers.