Opelka eliminates Djokovic in Brisbane!
Big surprise in Brisbane! Reilly Opelka eliminates Novak Djokovic and advances to the semi-finals. The big American server won 7-6, 6-3.
Djokovic had just one break point, which he failed to convert.
Opelka, long injured, made his return to the ATP circuit a few months ago.
He said in a post-match interview: "I've still got a long way to go to get back to where I was. The aim is to consolidate all this and repeat this kind of performance.
The reality is that we have nothing to lose against him. We end up playing more freely.
You take a lot more risks because if you play at your normal level or even above, he'll win every time.
It's difficult in his position because he has players who play dice. On a day like this, when a lot of things are going my way, that's how it goes."
He will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the semi-finals this Saturday, having earlier defeated Jakub Mensik.
Djokovic, Novak
Opelka, Reilly
Brisbane
