Reilly Opelka's return from injury has been delayed again, with the American pulling out of the 2024 Adelaide International.
Opelka, who also withdrew from Brisbane, has been out of the game for a very long time. He missed all four Grand Slams last year, and this latest blow will undoubtedly be very tough to take for the 26-year-old.
The American has one of the most distinctive playing styles on the tour. Standing at a huge 6'11, he possesses one of the biggest serves that tennis has ever seen, and holds the record for the fastest second serve ever.
That style has given Opelka a lot of career success to date. His achievements include a run to the fourth round at the US Open, but injuries have halted that progress in the last 18 months.
Two injuries have been a problem for Opelka. The first was a hip injury he sustained in August 2022. The four-time ATP title winner fully recovered from that issue. He seemed set to possibly make a recovery in the final tournaments of 2023.
However, a wrist injury complicated those ambitions. That physical concern is taking longer to recover from than initially thought, and Opelka is still waiting to complete his long-awaited comeback.
It is not currently known whether Opelka will be fit enough to play at the Australian Open. No decision has been made yet, with the American still on the Australian Open entry list. It will be a race against time for the huge-serving American.
There are still many excellent players in the Adelaide entry list. Fellow Americans Sebastian Korda and Tommy Paul are set to play at the event.
Korda will be looking to respond to a shock defeat he suffered in Brisbane. Yannick Hanfmann, who is the man who beat Korda in Brisbane, replaces Opelka on the entry list for the event.
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