Opelka served 17 aces and saved the only breakpoint he faced against Tsitsipas, outlasting the Greek in a thrilling two-and-a-half-hour contest.
Speaking to the media after his win, the American said he was happy with his overall performance, particularly his net play and composure.
The marathon encounter featured plenty of aces and powerful winners from both ends of the court, but one of the biggest highlights was the incredible tweener Opelka hit mid-way through the first set.
The American ran back towards the ball and hit a no-look shot between his legs from well behind the baseline. Unfortunately for him, Tsitsipas was alert and put away an easy volley.
When asked about the shot in his press conference, Opelka joked that he had no other option. He also downplayed its importance, saying tweeners have become increasingly common and “aren’t even cool anymore.”
During the press conference, Opelka also commented on the term “serve-bot”, which has often been used in a derogatory manner to describe big-servers like himself.
Apart from Opelka, the likes of Ivo Karlovic, John Isner, Kevin Anderson, Milos Raonic and even Nick Kyrgios have been labeled “serve-bots” because the serve is the most dominant feature of their game.
Opelka provided his own definition of the term, jokingly saying that “serve-bots” have to be “miserable to watch”. According to the American, Kyrgios does not qualify as he has the ability to entertain fans with a wide variety of shots.
“Every player has had adversity at some point in their career” - Opelka on his difficult path to the top
Opelka has made giant strides on the ATP Tour the past couple of seasons, and will have a chance at getting his hands on the biggest title of his career when he faces Daniil Medvedev in the Toronto final on Sunday.
When asked to shed some light on his journey to the top, the American reflected on some of the “dark” days that he had to endure during his early years as a professional.
Opelka said the tournament “was unplayable” as they did not have food on-site or an area for players to cool off after a match.
Opelka did, however, admit that his early experiences were “nothing special” as most professional athletes had to overcome adversity en route to the top.
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