Recent unfortunate injuries have kept American tennis player Reilly Opelka away from the courts, preventing him from playing as consistently as he would prefer. He still, however, managed to stir up some controversy in the tennis world with his pointed remarks about the sport’s doubles format.
Despite starting the 2025 season on a high note with an impressive victory over 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International, Opelka’s subsequent physical ailments have hindered him from maintaining that performance level.
Yet, Opelka’s on-court activities are not the only source of intrigue. His outspoken nature off the court has also drawn attention, especially his recent critique of doubles tennis. He boldly claimed that doubles was incorporated into professional tennis merely to provide lesser singles players with another opportunity.
Opelka’s assertions sparked a wave of shock throughout the tennis community, prompting a slew of criticisms from his fellow American players, including former world number one, Andy Roddick.
Bob Bryan, a legendary doubles player who, along with his brother Mike, has carved a noteworthy path in the history of tennis, recently weighed in on Opelka’s contentious comments. Bryan, who retired from professional tennis in 2020 and currently serves as the U.S. Davis Cup captain, has had Opelka as part of his team.
In an interview with Tennis Channel, Bryan acknowledged Opelka’s thought-provoking comments about doubles tennis. “Reilly, as we know, brought doubles to the spotlight a few weeks ago. We love Reilly, he has represented the United States in the Davis Cup, he has strong opinions about doubles and isn’t afraid to voice them, and I respect that,” Bryan stated.
However, Bryan didn’t entirely agree with Opelka’s view on doubles. He noted, “Do we concur with his doubles comments? No. Does the game require revitalization? Perhaps. There are potentially innovative tweaks that could be introduced to make it more exciting.”
Bryan also expressed his thoughts on the current state of doubles play, describing it as a tough game of eye formation, played close to the net with relatively short points. He even suggested the possibility of incorporating rules similar to pickleball, where players are positioned further from the net to initiate the point, adding a fresh twist to the game.
Opelka’s comments have certainly stirred up a debate on the future of doubles tennis; however, it’s clear that the tennis community is open to discussing potential changes to enhance the game’s appeal.