{"id":369260,"date":"2026-01-14T11:59:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T11:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/369260\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T11:59:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T11:59:09","slug":"tommy-paul-tames-reilly-opelka-in-adelaide-notches-first-win-in-4-months-atp-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/369260\/","title":{"rendered":"Tommy Paul tames Reilly Opelka in Adelaide, notches first win in 4 months | ATP Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adelaide International 2
\n Paul tames Opelka in Adelaide, notches first win in 4 months<\/p>\n

Top seed Davidovich Fokina, Humbert, Munar also advance at hard-court ATP 250<\/p>\n

January 14, 2026<\/p>\n

Sarah Reed\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Tommy Paul records his first win since the US Open in August.
\n By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n

Tommy Paul needed just one extra crack at neutralising a \u2018servebot\u2019 and getting his 2026 season rolling on Wednesday, when he notched his first tour-level win in four months at the Adelaide International.<\/p>\n

After falling to booming Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard last week in Brisbane \u2014 his first tour-level match since the US Open in August \u2014 Paul responded in Adelaide to defeat countryman Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-4 and reach the quarter-finals. The 28-year-old American had been sidelined late in 2025 due to a lingering foot injury but showed no ill effects on his return to Adelaide, where he is a two-time semi-finalist.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played someone with a pretty similar gamestyle last week, so that might\u2019ve helped me,\u201d joked Paul. \u201cI haven\u2019t been playing tournaments, but I\u2019ve been practising. I usually like the courts in Australia, it always matches up with my game. It\u2019s good to be back. I\u2019m happy with how my body is and I\u2019m excited to get the year really going.\u201d<\/p>\n

First win of the season \ud83d\ude4c<\/p>\n

No. 2 seed @TommyPaul1<\/a> knocks out compatriot Opelka 6-4, 6-4 to reach his sixth @AdelaideTennis<\/a> quarter-final.#AdelaideTennis<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/wRyUs0NIfA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ATP Tour (@atptour) January 14, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

Paul reached a career-high No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings last June, but slipped to World No. 21 after missing the final three months of 2025. The second seed will next face Australian qualifier Aleksandar Vukic, who downed Italian doubles star Andrea Vavassori 6-2, 7-6(5).<\/p>\n

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who is competing as the top seed at an ATP Tour event for the first time in his career, also recorded his first win of the 2026 season. The Spaniard dismantled Aussie wild card Rinky Hijikata 6-3, 6-2 and will meet Valentin Vacherot in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

Fifth seed and reigning Shanghai champion Vacherot advanced on Wednesday after home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew from their second-round clash due to a right shoulder injury. In his opener \u2014 his first singles appearance in nearly 12 months due to pectoral surgery \u2014 he battled past Sebastian Korda, but was unable to take to court in the next round.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cATP\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Earlier in Adelaide, Jaume Munar continued his impressive form by upsetting third seed Francisco Cerundolo 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to notch his 17th win over a Top 20 player. Munar is coming off the back of an impressive 2025 season, during which he tallied a personal-best 31 tour-level victories, according to the Infosys ATP Win\/Loss Index, and meets eighth seed Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

Ugo Humbert will take a 2-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead into his quarter-final clash with Alexander Shevchenko, who also advanced on Wednesday. Humbert downed fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 6-4 in just 78 minutes, while Shevchenko beat Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 7-6(6).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n