Reilly Opelka lost his fourth-round match to South Africa’s Lloyd Harris, who was almost impossible to deal with. His service games in the final two sets flew by faster than a reality TV star’s career, while Opelka’s serve and net play deserted him.
Sports
41 Errors and $10,000 Fine in the Bag, Reilly Opelka Still Cruises Into 1st-Ever 4th Round of U.S. Open
Palm Coast’s Reilly Opelka overcame 41 unforced errors in an uneven match to still win his third-round U.S. Open match in straight sets against Nikoloz Basilashvili under the lights Saturday night, while making light of a $10,000 fine for carrying a pink tote bag with a non-regulation logo.
Experienced Opelka Powers His Way Into 3rd Round of U.S. Open for First Time
Thursday afternoon, on a picture-perfect afternoon in New York that followed a once-in-a-generation amount of flooding and disarray in this city, Opelka was the wiser, savvier player, schooling 19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, 7-6 (1), 7-5, 6-4, to advance to the third round for the first time.
Armed with Towering Expectations, Opelka Cruises to First-Round U.S. Open Win
Tuesday on Court 17 of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Opelka did what veteran high seeds are supposed to do: Take out a tricky opponent in straight sets, saving your body and energy for future rounds. Struggling in the opening set, Opelka used his skills and experience to turn back Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-4.
Palm Coast 2021 Senior Games–Golf, Tennis, Pickleball–Set for Sept. 10-19
The Palm Coast Senior Games September 10-19 offers 3 sports: golf; singles, doubles, and mixed doubles tennis; and single, doubles, and mixed doubles pickleball. The registration fee is $15 per sport. Adults from the age of 50 up to over 100 are invited to participate.
Opelka Battles Hard but Falls to Medvedev in National Bank Open Final
The ex-Palm Coast resident came up short in the championship match of the National Bank Open in Toronto Sunday. Competing in a Masters 1000 level tournament final for the first time, Opelka was bested by World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, 6-4, 6-3.
Reilly Opelka Scores the Biggest Win of His Career, Beating World No. 3 Tsitsipas to Reach Toronto Final
The 7-footer Reilly Opelka, whose name will soon adorn the Palm Coast Tennis Center to mark his past and future ties with the city, catapults up to a career high ranking of No. 23, into his first Masters 1000 final. He’ll play either his good friend and fellow American John Isner or World No.2 Daniil Medvedev in the finals on Sunday.
Ghostly, Soulless, Absurd Olympics
The epiphanies of supreme athletic achievements in Ancient Greek Olympics could occur only if witnesses were physically present to immerse themselves – and share in – the spine-tingling flirtation with the divine. The Tokyo Olympics are soulless in comparison.
For Palm Coast Little League, Years of Advocacy Culminate with Hosting State Championship, and a DeSantis 1st Pitch
Palm Coast Little League this weekend marked its 20th anniversary by hosting the state championship, featuring a first pitch by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Hosting the tournament is a remarkable turn-around from a time a decade ago when Little League and the city were at loggerheads. The relationship turned around several years ago, and has flourished since, culminating with the championship event.
Debating Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, 1st Transgender Woman in Individual Sports at Olympics
When Laurel Hubbard was announced as the first out transgender woman athlete to compete in an individual sport at an Olympic Games, controversy wasn’t far behind. One prominent commentator even called it a “disaster for women’s sport.” The arguments are emotive and polarizing, and often ignore key facts.