AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2022

Reilly Opelka

Press Conference

R. OPELKA/D. Koepfer

6-4, 6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Talk us through the match.

REILLY OPELKA: It was super windy today, and I guess things -- the conditions really changed, I guess, how I was planning on playing. A lot of long rallies, which if you watch me play doesn't happen too often.

It was a very physical match, long three-setter, and I thought I did a good job of managing the big moments, managing my emotions. I stayed very calm, and then that breaker was huge for me to get through, but it was a very physical match, a lot of long rallies.

Q. Talk about when you come back when you lose the break.

REILLY OPELKA: Yeah, doesn't happen often. That's where I was really happy with how I just stayed the course and I didn't let that get to me. I started -- I got broken first game, and that guy has had my number for a long time now. He's broken me a lot.

Those thoughts never came into my head in the match, which I think maybe a couple years ago they would have, but yeah, I did a good job of, like I said, just staying the course and not letting that game disrupt what was going on or what I had planned.

Q. What relationship do you have with Novak?

REILLY OPELKA: I've always had a great relationship with Novak. Nothing like crazy. We've texted a few times actually here and there. Pretty similar like most guys I see in the locker room. He's very friendly, so he's very outgoing, and he's a talkative guy, so I think most of us have a good relationship with him.

Yeah, I mean, I don't really have anything bad to say about the guy. It's always been a pleasant interaction with him, and I've always seen him in a good mood.

Q. Have you been to any gallery in Australia this year?

REILLY OPELKA: I have not, no. I have not. It's weird here, there's not -- from the museum standpoint, I'm not really sure -- there is some, but it's so far. It's so far. There's some art that doesn't make its way down here.

But yeah, I know there's some Australian artists. I've seen a few. I've been looking. I have a buddy of mine that's supposed to take me around to some galleries whenever I'm out of the tournament, so I'm excited for that.