"Bigger the fall, bigger the rise" – Tommy Paul, John Isner, & others react as Reilly Opelka prepares for comeback after injury struggles

The tennis world, including John Isner, Tommy Paul, Cameron Norrie, and Prakash Amritraj, reacted to Reilly Opelka’s uplifting message ahead of his comeback, following a prolonged injury layoff.

Opelka has been on the sidelines since August 2022. The American played his last match at the ATP 500 in Washington, DC, losing to eventual champion Nick Kyrgios in the round of 16.

Opelka cut his season short due to a persistent hip injury. He underwent surgery to tackle the issue and initially planned to return to the tour earlier this year. However, a right wrist injury in February 2023 derailed his plans. The former World No. 17, who is currently unranked due to his prolonged absence, is now looking to make a return to the tour before the season draws to a close.

During a recent social media interaction, the four-time ATP title holder shared his comeback plans, stating that if all goes well, he will be looking to start off with the upcoming Challenger event in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he was the champion in 2016. The tournament will take place between October 30 to November 5. He is also expected to take part in the upcoming UTS exhibition event in Seoul from November 30 to December 3.

Ahead of the potential comeback, Reilly Opelka shared a post on social media, revisiting the injuries he dealt with during his time on the sidelines. The American wrote an uplifting message under the post.

“Storms never last,” he wrote on Instagram.

His message caught the attention of the tennis world, including his friends and colleagues.

World No. 12 Tommy Paul, who featured in Opelka’s post recapping the injuries, hilariously teased his friend by pointing at his serve-forward style of play.

“#BottingBack,” he joked.

John Isner, who retired at the 2023 US Open, similarly acknowledged Opelka’s ‘serve-botting.’

“Time to bot,” he said.

Cameron Norrie expressed his eagerness to see the American in action soon.

“See you soon pop,” he wrote.

Prakash Amritraj, a former tennis player and a reporter on the Tennis Channel, shared an encouraging message.

“The bigger the fall, the bigger the rise… Comeback bout to be fire,” he said.

Tennis players on Instagram

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Reilly Opelka meets up with Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, and Aryna Sabalenka at the opening of new Miami restaurant

Reilly Opelka at the 2022 Cinch Championships

Ahead of his comeback, on Friday, October 20, Reilly Opelka made an appearance at the opening of Casadonna, an Italian waterfront restaurant in Miami.

The venue, owned by David Grutman and Noah Tepperberg was buzzing with sporting royalty. Tennis icons such as former World No. 1s Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki marked their presence alongside their respective husbands, Alexis Ohanian and David Lee. The current World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was present as well.

Opelka joined the tennis players and posed for pictures.

Other famous personalities included Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard, Victoria Beckham, Winnie Harlow, and Camila Cabello.