"Forgot something" - Reilly Opelka makes fun of America's mask mandate

American tennis star Reilly Opelka has cynically mocked the mask regulations in the United States of America (USA).

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) renewed its recommendation that individuals aged two years and older wear masks when on public transportation and at transportation hubs on May 3, even though the nationwide mask rule is not currently in effect.

In a previous post on his Twitter account, Opelka could be seen sitting at a tennis stadium without a mask on. The American captioned the post with:

"Working on good optics."

The 25-year-old later quickly edited the picture, adding a mask to his face, and then shared it, making fun of the American Mask regulations in the process.

"Forgot something," Opelka caption the picture.

At 6 feet 11 inches tall, Reilly Opelka is tied with Ivo Karlovic as the tallest player on the ATP Tour. He has four ATP singles titles and one doubles title to his name. He also won the junior Wimbledon title.

The World No. 37 last competed in the Citi Open, where he was eliminated in the third round by eventual champion Nick Kyrgios, 7-6(1), 6-2.

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"I’ve come to hate tradition and, obviously, tennis is all tradition" - Reilly Opelka

Reily Opelka pictured at the Mutua Madrid Open.

During his first appearance at Paris Fashion Week, Reilly Opelka discussed how he has "come to hate tradition" in an interview with GQ.

The American was referring to a situation from the 2021 US Open in which he brought a bag onto the court rather than the handbag that was usually provided by his racquet sponsor. The World No. 24 received a US $10,000 fine from the tournament's organizers, the highest sanction handed at a tournament so far, because the surprising selection featured a company logo that was larger than what was allowed.

"I've come to hate tradition. And, obviously, tennis is all tradition. Look at Wimbledon—that’s what it is. And it’s not for me. The more I’ve gotten into fashion and art, the more I’ve come to despise some things about tennis," Reilly Opelka said.

He further mentioned that players' identical kits during competitions strip them of their individuality.

"The kits themselves, they’re all the same colors, they’re all so similar. Every brand does their photoshoots at Indian Wells, so the vibe is the exact same. There’s nothing unique about it anymore, and it’s sad," he said.

When asked why tennis does not use its "tunnel walks into mini fashion shows" the way the NBA does, Reilly Opelka responded that the game's "business structure" fosters a "conservative culture," which makes people afraid to stand out.

"We’re a solo sport. Anything goes wrong with us, there’s a direct effect. So I think the way the business structure of tennis is set up breeds a sort of conservative culture, where everyone’s so scared to be different," he stated.