Reilly Opelka admits he has come to ‘despise’ things about tennis

Reilly Opelka says he has come to ‘despise’ tennis’ refusal to move past tradition and allow true individuality.

Opelka has often been a very outspoken member of the ATP Tour, especially on matters of the politics behind the sport.

He has now turned his attention to the face of the sport itself, and in particular the way tennis players are essentially forced to dress the same as each other as marketing tools for manufacturers.

“I’ve come to hate tradition,” Opelka told GQ magazine. “And, obviously, tennis is all tradition. Look at Wimbledon – that’s what it is. And it’s not for me.

“The more I’ve gotten into fashion and art, the more I’ve come to despise some things about tennis.”

“The kits themselves, they’re all the same colours, they’re all so similar. Every brand does their photoshoots at Indian Wells, so the vibe is the exact same. There’s nothing unique about it anymore, and it’s sad,”

“We’re a solo sport. Anything goes wrong with us, there’s a direct effect. So I think the way the business structure of tennis is set up breeds a sort of conservative culture, where everyone’s so scared to be different.”

Reilly Opelka is currently enjoying his best season on the ATP Tour so far, with him winning two titles so far in Dallas and Houston, although he is still yet to win a title outside of America.

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