The 21 & Under Club: Reilly Opelka

How do you follow the Greatest Generation? It’s a question tennis has tried to answer for at least a decade. Serena, Roger, Novak, Rafa: all of them are over 30, and they’ve combined to win 75 Grand Slam singles titles—but none of them are going away quietly. When they do, who will fill their very large shoes?

As you’ll see in The 21 & Under Club, the future of tennis is still coming, and coming soon. While it may not produce a 20-Slam winner, it’s clear that the game will be in good hands. Interesting hands, too: one thing we know for sure is that this new generation of players will infuse the tours with a wide and refreshing range of styles, personalities and backgrounds. When the Greatest Generation says goodbye, we can feel good about welcoming this cast of players to the courts.

Instagram: reillyopelka

Most-Liked Photo of 2019: Holding the New York Open winner’s trophy

A tennis ball may never look as vibrant as it does at the New York Open, with the courts and surrounding arena awash in grey and black. The event’s 2019 champion, wearing an aquamarine shirt and patterned-blue shorts, also stood out, but it wasn’t just for the colors of his clothes or his 6’11” height.

The 21-year-old Opelka won five matches, including final-set tiebreakers in the semifinals and final, to claim his first tournament title in New York. His lethal serve, which can exceed 140 M.P.H., had a lot to do with it.

“When you have a serve like that, at some point you’re going to be in the Top 20,” says Paul Annacone.

But while Opelka relies on his serve like few others, he prides himself on being more than just a single shot.

“He’s pretty damn good athletically, and moves well for someone his age and size,” says Annacone. “I think he’s ahead of where John Isner was at that same age by a decent margin in terms of how he moves and rallies.”

Opelka will touch most ceilings he stands under, but he hasn’t come close to reaching his ceiling in the pros.

Read more of The 21 & Under Club