"Get rid of doubles" - Reilly Opelka calls for massive change on ATP tour, takes a dig at doubles tennis

American tennis player Reilly Opelka recently advocated a significant overhaul of the ATP tour. Specifically, he called for the elimination of doubles matches, citing an apparent lack of interest among fans.

Opelka is currently on the sidelines, with injuries having forced him to withdraw from the ongoing 2023 Indian Wells Open. The 25-year-old has not played since August 2022, which is when he underwent a hip surgery.

While away from the court, Opelka took some time to connect with his fans and address some of their questions on Instagram. During the Q&A session, one of Opelka's fans asked him what he would change about the ATP Tour if he had the chance.

The American responded that he would eliminate doubles matches since they do not seem to garner much interest from viewers. Opelka also claimed the audience is primarily drawn to singles players, with former American stars Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan being the only doubles team that could capture their attention.

"Get rid of doubles, only time people watch are when its singles players or the bry bros," he wrote on his Instagram story.

Reilly Opelka's Instagram story

"How did Cobra Kai get cancelled and this is renewed?" - Reilly Opelka mocks Netflix series 'Break Point' being renewed for 2nd season

Reilly Opelka at the 2021 US Open

Reilly Opelka also recently shared his thoughts on the renewal of Netflix's tennis docuseries, Break Point, for a second season.

The show is produced by Box-to-Box Films, the same production house responsible for the highly acclaimed series Drive to Survive. Break Point premiered in early 2023 and provides viewers with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of top players like Nick Kyrgios, Maria Sakkari and Taylor Fritz, among others.

The first season also has exclusive interviews with tennis legends Martina Navratilova and Maria Sharapova. The initial five episodes were launched in January, while the remaining five are scheduled for release in June of this year.

The second season of the tennis series is scheduled for release in 2024.

“Like so much of our growing sports slate, the compelling characters, competitive stakes, and vibrant storytelling reveal sides of the game you’ve never seen before, and we’re excited to follow the unpredictable turns of the year ahead,” said Brandon Riegg, VP, Unscripted and Documentary Series, Netflix.

Reilly Opelka reacted to the news of the series' renewal with a joke referencing the immensely popular show 'Cobra Kai.'

"How did Cobra Kai get cancelled and this is renewed? Season 1 was booboo," Opelka wrote on his Instagram story.

Opelka's Instagram story