"I wanted to be happier" - Reilly Opelka on how 'miserable' tennis tour experiences influenced him to pursue art and fashion

Reilly Opelka’s flair for fashion is no secret. The American's social media is filled with in-vogue looks, and he has also marked his presence at various fashion weeks in Europe.

Speaking on a recent episode of The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast, Opelka elaborated on how his interest in art and fashion has developed over the years. He also disclosed that his liking for the field started when he first began touring Europe as a junior tennis player.

“I was so shocked. [I was] somewhat, a bit of an American kid, you could say. [Coming from] Small town in Florida, going to Europe for the first time at junior French Open and stuff,” he said.

Opelka hinted that his interest may not have had the most positive of roots; he gripped on to fashion as an escape from the circumstances of his touring life.

“Once I got on tour, I hated it,” the 25-year-old continued. “I was so uncomfortable there. The hotel rooms were small, old. I was miserable. I just wanted to get away and want something to do away from tennis while I was in Europe and find a way to enjoy my time over there to help me play better tennis.”

The former World No. 17 then recalled his first encounter with fashion, which occurred during a visit to the Prada Foundation in Milan after his campaign in Rome came to an early end.

“I remember I had lost in Rome one year early on. Anyway, I went to the Prada foundation in Milan and obviously I liked fashion enough to like Prada enough and just want to go into their foundation and that’s where art started,” he said.

“I wanted to be happier,” he added. “And I got so hooked on it. I started going to museums everywhere. I was arranging car service to take me an hour way to a museum in South of France, I just started going to museums all over the place.”

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"I'm really hoping to get the racquet in my hands in two months" – Reilly Opelka on his comeback plans

Day One: The Championships - Wimbledon 2022

Reilly Opelka’s tennis career has been derailed by injuries. The athlete, who reached a career-high ranking of World No. 17 in 2022, suffered a hip injury later that year and has been out of action ever since.

Opelka has now revealed that while he has recovered from the hip issue, he is currently tending to an unfortunate wrist injury. The 25-year-old said that the new injury would take a couple of months to heal, meaning he would miss out on the 2023 French Open.

“I'm really hoping to get the racquet in my hands in two months or so. Then, its hard to say. I'm not putting a timeline, I want to make sure I'm ready and fit, that's more important to me. It's hard to say. French (Open) I'm out,” the American said.