"Too exciting to watch": Reilly Opelka removes Nick Kyrgios from the "Servebot category"
Reilly Opelka plays the week of his life in Toronto. In the press conference after his semi-final victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas, he also relaxed an amusing mind game.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Aug 15, 2021, 05:56 pm
Before the semifinals at the Masters tournament in Toronto there was lively discussion among some tennis fans. A final between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev? Was highly anticipated here. One between the service giants Reilly Opelka and John Isner? Probably not, and if at all from the US point of view. "It would be great for us," said Opelka, "but the tennis fans would be a bit annoyed. Which I would understand."
The reason: two violent hitters against each other rarely promise great tennis, the Wimbledon finals in the 1990s between Pete Sampras and Goran Ivanisevic send their regards. Opelka, however, continued to philosophize: He and Isner had talked about the definition of a "Servebot". What is meant here is usually a player who is extremely dependent on his serve (and who returns quite weakly).
Who is a "Servebot"?
The big question for Opelka and Isner apparently: Would Nick Kyrgios also pass as a "Servebot"? Because he keeps his service games very often, as the statistics show, says Opelka.
"Isner is now in the first category. Me too. Karlovic too. Raonic, and I think Kevin Anderson too," the world number 32 continued. "There are a lot to be said for Kyrgios, but today we came to the conclusion that Servebots must be a bit annoying to look at. And it's too exciting, it's too much fun to watch. So it doesn't fall under the first Servebot category "concluded Opelka.
Today from 10 p.m. ( here in the live ticker), "Servebot" Opelka will certainly be about to make a lot of his serves: Because final opponent Medvedev pulled "Servebot" Isner's teeth well in the semifinals and brought 84 percent of his returns into the field . If Opelka wants to have a chance at his biggest career title, he urgently needs to get this number down.
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