Insolite - Opelka is back: "He's a very strange old man".

Reilly Opelka makes a remarkable return to competition.

Absent from the main circuit for the past two years, and having undergone surgery on his thigh and wrist, the American giant has just reached the quarter-finals of the Newport tournament.

Displaying a very satisfactory level for a returnee, Opelka knocked out two French players. First Constant Lestienne in the first round (6-1, 2-6, 7-6), then Adrian Mannarino, number one seed and defending champion, on Wednesday (6-4, 3-6, 6-4).

Having qualified for the quarter-finals, the American made the headlines for a rather zany sequence in his round-of-16 match against Mannarino.

Speaking to the ball boy, he openly criticized the match referee, Mr Fergus Murphy: "Sorry, you have to be quick because Fergus (Murphy) is a bit out of his depth, he's a bad referee and he likes warnings.

He loves cautions. He's a very weird old man."