Despite having a reputation for his lethal serves, the 6’11” American pro Reilly Opelka has failed to leave an impact this season. However, the 27-year-old will look to make the most of his opportunity this week in Rome. But his road ahead won’t be easy as he will step on the court against a formidable opponent and compatriot Learner Tien. The latter has also struggled to woo with his performance since the historic Australian Open heroics in January. He reached the fourth round there but went inconsistent afterwards. So who’s looking to emerge as the last man standing in this face-off on Thursday? Let’s try to find out.
Reilly Opelka v Learner Tien: Preview
Reilly Opelka made a good start to his 2025 season after he reached the summit clash of the Brisbane International. During this phase, he even stunned 24-time slam king Novak Djokovic in the QF. Unfortunately, he couldn’t lift the trophy in the final against Jiri Lehecka. Down under, however, he failed to impress after crashing out in the second round. He bounced back soon, though, making it to the QF stage of the Dallas Open before losing to compatriot Tommy Paul.
In his next five ATP appearances, however, Opelka suffered due to a poor form. At the Delray Beach Open, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, Barcelona Open, and Madrid Open, he was ousted in R16, R128, R32, R32, and R64.
Tennis – ATP 500 – St Petersburg Open – St Petersburg, Russia – October 15, 2020 Reilly Opelka of the U.S. in action during his second round match against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Anton Vaganov
Speaking of his opponent, Learner Tien was able to make a dream start to his ATP career after turning pro last December. In Melbourne, he managed to enter the fourth round in a slam debut back in January. During his campaign, he even pulled off the biggest top 10 win of his career, eliminating Russian pro Daniil Medvedev with a score line of 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-10, 1-6,7-6(7). Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego eventually ended Tien’s run at the Australian Open.
While he showed immense talent at the Happy Slam, the 19-year-old failed to maintain his form. At the Delray Beach Open, the teenage sensation was ousted in R16 by Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi. But he bounced back soon, in Mexico. He managed to reach the last eight before Czechia’s Tomas Machac edged him out. In the next five events, Tien couldn’t make a single deep run. At the Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, Houston, BMW Open, and Madrid Open, he crashed out early in R128, R128, R32, R32, and R128.
Opelka v Tien: Head-to-Head
Both players haven’t met at an ATP event yet. Currently, the h2h tally stands at 0-0. Thursday’s encounter will mark their maiden battle against each other on a professional level.
Prediction: Reilly Opelka to win in three sets
Reilly Opelka is having a solid edge over Learner Tien when it comes to the singles stats this season. With a win percentage of 60, the World No.94 has won 12 of his 20 matches so far compared to the teenager (6-9).
Now coming onto their event history, Opelka’s best campaign at the Italian Open came in 2021. In that edition, he managed to reach the semis before losing to 22-time slam king Rafael Nadal. In his last appearance, though, the ATP pro couldn’t go beyond R64, back in 2023, after losing to Stan Wawrinka. Speaking of Tien, he will be playing his maiden campaign in Rome this week.
Well, Opelka is famously known for his speedy serves. Sometimes he can even hit 230 km/h! Further, he also possesses an impressive court coverage, thus extending his versatility. The American prefers to dominate his opponents mainly from the baseline. At times, he can also stun them near the net.
On the other hand, Tien prefers to play tactically from the baseline, being an all-court player. Even during tense moments, he can stay composed while utilizing his smart shot selection and variety to earn crucial points.
Now considering the overall form in 2025, Reilly Opelka appears to be the favorite going into Thursday’s face-off. While Tien may pose a challenge, the tall ATP star is still expected to emerge victorious win in three sets.
The post Italian Open 2025: Reilly Opelka vs. Learner Tien; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.