Reilly Opelka has made a triumphant return to tennis! The Michigan native marked his first Tour-level win in nearly two years. Opelka, who stands at nearly seven feet tall, looked reassuringly comfortable as he downed Adrian Mannarino, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, in the second round of the Infosys Hall of Fame Open on Wednesday, July 17.

After outplaying the Newport event’s defending champion in the second round, the American pro engaged in an intriguing conversation with ‘The Palm Beach Post Tuesday’ via phone from Rhode Island. The 6-foot-11 player reflected on his two-year hiatus, revealing he had seriously considered retirement and exploring other options.

The big server from Michigan also mentioned that he has always landed on his feet, which notably prompted him to seriously consider retiring after injury disasters hampered his on-court appearances. “I totally definitely did (think of retiring), I’m pretty confident I’ll land in my feet. I’ve always landed on my feet in whatever I did. I think I’m good at making best of situations, and for me, I was ready to pivot.’’

However, Opelka was uncertain about returning to the grass courts of Newport. Surprisingly, the former World No. 17 wasn’t sure if he would compete in any more Tour matches. The 26-year-old nearly pursued other ventures. Fortunately, Opelka’s return to the ATP 250 event has dispelled any doubts about his potential retirement.

Subsequently, with this, an important question comes knocking on the door: What prompted Opelka to consider walking away from the sport for good? Let’s delve into his past injury troubles that led to the aforementioned topic at hand.

Reilly Opelka underwent two surgeries during his 2-year absence

It is no surprise that the tennis giant has endured a fair share of injury concerns. Since his last performance at the 2022 Citi Open in Washington, the 26-year-old has undergone two surgeries. In hopes of correcting a long-standing hip problem, Opelka went under the knife for a hip operation on the opening day of the 2022 US Open. However, that wasn’t the end of his physical troubles.

Merely six months after his hip surgery, the American tennis player found himself trapped in troubled waters after he was diagnosed with a sublax tendon. To address this issue, Opelka had to forgo his return to the Delray Beach Open in February 2023.

Hopefully, this year, the former World No. 17 can maintain his health and avoid further injury scares. What do you think about his return as the Michigan pro prepares for his quarterfinal clash against Mackenzie McDonald? Let us know in the comments.

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