Brisbane
\n Sweeny on viral Opelka handshake: ‘I told the boys I would do the Dudi Sela!’<\/p>\n
Sweeny speaks exclusively to ATPTour.com about the memorable moment<\/p>\n
January 06, 2026<\/p>\n
Tennis TV<\/p>\n
Reilly Opelka defeats Dane Sweeny in straight sets Monday in Brisbane before receiving a special greeting at net.
\n By ATP Staff<\/p>\n
Sixteen inches separate Reilly Opelka and Dane Sweeny, but Sweeny did not seem to mind Tuesday at the Brisbane International presented by ANZ.<\/p>\n
After Opelka defeated the Australian 6-3, 7-5 at the ATP 250 event, the 5\u20197\u201d Sweeny grabbed a chair to step on to embrace the American. They shared a viral moment at the net.<\/p>\n
“I’m just trying to not be overly serious with my tennis,\u201d Sweeny told ATPTour.com. \u201cAnd I told the boys, my friends, that at the end of the match, I would do the Dudi Sela. Dudi Sela did it to Karlovic a while ago. So I thought that was pretty iconic and he’s 16 inches taller and I thought it’d be pretty funny.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sweeny was referring to 2014 in Bogota, where Dudi Sela did the same thing after losing his sixth consecutive Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against Ivo Karlovic. That embrace remains a fans\u2019 favourite.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it’s emblematic of the mindset I’m trying to take into this year,\u201d Sweeny said. \u201cI\u2019m just trying to have fun with it as a whole.”<\/p>\n
Watch the full video below.<\/p>\n
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