Atlanta: Opelka 3-0 against Isner in 2019, and 7-3 in tiebreakers

I’m not certain what John Isner’s career tiebreak winning percentage is, but I’m guessing it’s more than 30. With his near-automatic first serve, the anything-but-mini American often needs just one mini-break to secure a set’s overtime session.

Yet in the 10 tiebreakers Isner has played against Reilly Opelka this season, he has won but three. Opelka won two on Wednesday, in Atlanta, to give him his third win over Isner in 2019, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5).

Playing 10 tiebreakers against one player during one season is somewhat impressive on its own, but Opelka’s tiebreaker success against Isner is truly fascinating. The 21-year-old has the serve to match Isner’s, but he’s also finding ways to win the most critical points of these all-American matches. Many of those come with first serves—today, he won 91 percent of such points. But on match point, Opelka prevailed in one of the longer rallies of the day, taking a second-serve point with a match-ending forehand, all set up by a sharp crosscourt backhand. (Watch above.)

Matches against comparable players always have fine margins, but Isner vs. Opelka takes it to another level. According to the ATP’s Greg Sharko, each man has won 59 of their 60 service games in this year’s three contests. One came in the first round of the Australian Open; another in the semifinals of the New York Open; the latest in the second round of the Atlanta Open, which was Isner’s first match of the tournament. The Georgia alum, who has won Atlanta five times and finished runner-up three times, had never failed to reach the semifinal round of the event.

Opelka moves into the third round after defeating both the runner-up in Newport, Alexander Bublik, and Isner, the champion of Newport. Next up is Daniel Evans. As for the departed top seed, expect Isner to return to action at the Masters event in Canada.

We don't know when we'll see these two meet again, but when we do, we know we'll see more tiebreakers.