Fritz Dominates Opelka 6-3, 6-4 to Advance to the 4th Round of the Miami Open
In a thrilling all-American showdown in sunny South Florida, two friends battled for a coveted spot in the second week of this prestigious Masters 1000 tournament. California’s Taylor Fritz, the proud holder of one Masters title—claimed at the 2022 Indian Wells by defeating Nadal—faced off against Reilly Opelka, who is still in pursuit of his first trophy at this level, despite reaching the finals in Canada in 2021 (l. Medvedev).
Fritz, who soared to a career-high ranking of #4 in the fall of 2024, is currently positioned at #7. His finest moment in Miami was last year, when he made a semifinal appearance before losing a tightly contested match to the eventual champion Jakob Mensik.
Opelka was determined to break through to his first fourth-round appearance on home turf, having reached the third round thrice (in 2019 and 2025). His journey back to the court was marked by significant challenges, enduring a long hiatus between 2022 and 2024 due to a chronic wrist injury.
Though currently ranked #67, Opelka is a former world #17 and presented a formidable challenge as an unseeded competitor. The towering 6’11 player kicked off the tournament with a win against Nuno Borges, clinching a close 7-6 victory, followed by a tight match against former world #4 and 25th seed Jack Draper, which he won in two tiebreaks.
Despite living miles apart on opposing coasts, the two twenty-eight-year-olds share a close friendship. Fritz led their rivalry with a record of 5-1, claiming the last three matches. All six encounters have taken place on indoor/outdoor hard courts, the last occurring in 2021, while Opelka’s solitary victory came in straight sets back in 2019 in Tokyo.
Fritz won the toss and opted to serve first. He showcased his skills by landing 3/4 first serves, including an ace that helped him hold at love, while Opelka countered with two aces to hold at 30. Fritz then held strong to 15, establishing a 2-1 lead when Opelka faltered with four unforced errors, surrendering his serve.
The world #7 produced a dazzling crosscourt forehand for an easy hold at 15, reinforcing his break. After Opelka opened the sixth game with his fourth ace, he managed to hold at 30, bringing the score to 2-4. Fritz swiftly answered back, mixing in an ace to hold at 15 and clinching the first set 6-3.
In the second set, Opelka served first and held at love, nailing 4/4 first serves, while Fritz responded with an ace and held at 15. After some back-and-forth action, Opelka powered through his eighth ace before holding again, maintaining a 3-2 lead.
Fritz hit an overhead to start the sixth game, leveling the score by holding at love. In the pivotal seventh game, Opelka faced significant pressure, reaching 30-30 with his tenth ace, but ultimately succumbed to multiple challenges, failing to hold serve.
With new balls, Fritz hit two forehand winners and held to 15, extending his lead to 5-3. Opelka, serving to prolong the match, faced double match point but kept his hopes alive with a brilliant backhand down the line, holding at 4-5.
Fritz then served for the match, executing all 4/4 first serves, reaching triple match point, and sealing the victory with a precise ace wide.
During the swift sixty-three-minute match, lengthy rallies were rare; instead, serve-and-return defined the game. Fritz dominated his second serve points, winning 73% when serving and 30% and 59% on first and second serves, respectively. He did not face a break point and converted 6/8 opportunities.
Up next for Fritz is the 21st seed, Jiri Lehecka. The 24-year-old from Czechia, boasting two career titles, recently achieved a rank of #16 but is currently at #22. After getting a bye in the first round, he has not lost a set leading up to the fourth round. Fritz and Lehecka’s head-to-head record stands at 4-1, although Lehecka triumphed in their latest encounter last September during the Davis Cup qualifiers.
