After spending most of his last two seasons on the sidelines due to a wrist injury, Reilly Opelka kicked off his 2025 campaign with a bang! He stunned his “hero” Novak Djokovic in the QF of the Brisbane International and went on to make it to the summit clash over there. Although injury played a spoilsport in the final against Jiri Lehecka (CZE), Opelka managed to make a mark in the tournament. “I’ve got a long way to go to get my ranking back where I’d like it, and my endurance back where I can compete at this level week in, week out.” the 27-year-old American said after beating Djokovic.

Ever since the Brisbane International though, Opelka’s form has dipped a bit. However, he’s keen to make a winning start at the 2025 Miami Open. Can he defeat his compatriot, Christopher Eubanks, in the first round?

Reilly Opelka vs Christopher Eubanks: Preview

Apart from reaching the final at the Brisbane International, Reilly Opelka also made it to the QF at the Dallas Open. However, out of is last 5 matches, he has lost 3 and will be entering this contest after his 6(6)-7,3-6 defeat to Hugo Gaston (FRA) in R16 of the Challenger Phoenix, US.

Christopher Eubanks, on the other hand, achieved his best result, so far, at the Challenger Canberra, AU. However, ever since his quarterfinal run there, his form has been a bit shaky as well. Eubanks has lost five straight matches and his last win was in February at the Dallas Open. He’ll be entering this match following his R32 loss to Russia’s Roman Safiullin at the Challenger Phoenix, US.

Opelka vs Eubanks: Head-to-Head

Reilly Opelka has met Christopher Eubanks thrice in his career so far. Currently, Opelka leads the H2H record by a 3-0 margin.

• 2025 Delray Beach Open R32: Opelka 6-3,7-6(7).
• 2019 Washington R64: Opelka 6-4,7-6(3).
• 2016 Atlanta R32: Opelka 7-6(9),7-6(5).

Prediction: Opelka to win in straight sets yet again

Reilly Opelka has already put on a few stellar performances this season. Opelka (114) currently has a win-loss record of 8-5 in 2025, whereas for Eubanks (104), it’s 1-4. It’s not that hard to figure out who has been in better form.

As far as their playing styles are concerned, the 6ft 7 inches tall Christopher Eubanks is known for his powerful serves and his aggressive, attacking style of play. He loves approaching the net and finishing points with volleys or overheads. Eubanks is also a good returner of the ball and that is exactly where Reilly Opelka needs to be a bit watchful against him.

Opelka, who is even taller than Eubanks with a height of 6ft 11 inches, is known for his big serves as well. He uses his height incredibly well to generate real power behind his serves. The 27-year-old has already hit 227 aces this season! It’ll be interesting to see how many more he adds to his tally by the end of this tournament.

Other than his serves, Opelka also has a good volley and an incredible reach on the court, which often helps him secure points from extraordinary positions. Even his backhand down the line is quite impressive! Opelka’s game will suit this surface pretty well and considering all the stats mentioned and his recent form, Eubanks doesn’t seem to stand a chance against him. The prediction is for Reilly Opelka to win this match in straight sets and advance.