Opelka Adds Boynton to His Coaching Arsenal
Reilly Opelka welcomes Craig Boynton, the tactician behind John Isner’s ace dominance, as the towering server shakes off a tough loss and powers into Adelaide’s hard-court battles.
In the crisp Adelaide morning, Reilly Opelka‘s 6’11“ silhouette cuts through the baseline haze, his serve exploding off the hard court with renewed bite. Back after nearly two years lost to hip and wrist surgeries, the four-time ATP Tour titlist has enlisted Craig Boynton, who spent over three years sharpening John Isner into a former No. 8 force in the PIF ATP Rankings. Boynton’s move to Opelka’s side, alongside longtime mentor Jay Berger—the ex-World No. 7—blends proven power with fresh angles, setting up a dynamic push through the Australian swing.
Opelka’s arsenal already hums with threat, but Boynton’s touch, fresh from guiding Hubert Hurkacz to Top-10 heights, adds layers to those booming deliveries. The pair will travel together, refining patterns that turn aces into sustained pressure on these medium-fast surfaces.
“He’s one of the best coaches in the world and I think between him and Jay Berger, I’m incredibly lucky,” Opelka told ATPTour.com. “These are just great guys, great people, smart, tennis geniuses, tennis experts.”
Similarities fade into distinct paths
Comparisons to Isner trail Opelka like a long shadow, both dubbing themselves ”servebots“ for their serve-first mindset, yet Boynton draws a firm line on their differences. Opelka mixes baseline probes with heavy topspin forehands and inside-out strikes, while Isner’s game leaned heavier on kick serves and endurance. These nuances shape how Boynton adapts his approach, emphasizing Opelka’s wristy backhand slices and improved footwork to cover crosscourt exchanges without mirroring the past.
The coach sees every player chasing the same summit through unique routes—Opelka’s flatter trajectories demand tweaks for court speed, unlike Isner’s towering arcs. In Adelaide’s bounce, this means honing a 1–2 pattern where the serve sets up down-the-line winners, conserving energy for rallies that test post-surgery stamina.
“They’re two different people. Ultimately, every tennis player here has the same goal and everybody has different skill sets,” Boynton said. “Obviously, people are going to look at the similarities between Reilly and John, but they are different players. Yes, they have some similarities, but they’re different in just about every way. They’re just different people, they’re different players, ultimately trying to do the same thing, but doing it in different ways.”
Aces fuel rebound from tiebreak sting
Last week’s opener left a mark: Opelka fired 44 aces, his most in a three-set ATP Tour match, only to drop a final-set tiebreak to Kamil Majchrzak. At 28, with rankings to reclaim, that defeat hung heavy, a mental echo of time stolen by rehab. Monday’s straight-sets dispatch of Alexei Popyrin at the Adelaide International brought swift relief, his kickers skidding low to disrupt returns.
The victory pulses with momentum, the crowd’s roar amplifying each point as Opelka shakes off the linger. “Especially after last week I had a really, really rough loss that could linger,” he said. “[That is] something you don’t get over quickly. Maybe 10 years it takes to get over one of those. So, happy that I got a win.”
Hard-court surge eyes deeper runs
Adelaide’s surface favors Opelka’s skid, where underspin lobs can break rhythms and inside-in forehands pin foes wide, easing the load of potential marathons. Boynton’s playbook, tested on Hurkacz‘s volleys, could boost serve conversion to dominate points early, turning the Australian swing into a rankings accelerator. With Berger’s steady input anchoring the team, this trio confronts jet lag and rival fire, Opelka’s height becoming a weapon in the sun-baked draw.
As the tournament deepens, the air thickens with possibility—each adjustment whispering of majors where aces command the court, propelling a comeback laced with calculated edge.
