2021 US Open First Round – Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka taking place? Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka will take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York, USA
When is Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka on and what time does it start? Tuesday 31st August, 2021 – not before 16:00 (UK)
What surface is Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka being played on? Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka
What channel is Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka on in the UK? Amazon have exclusive rights to show the 2021 US Open in the UK so it is worth checking the Amazon Prime Video app on smart TVs for Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka
Where can I stream Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka in the UK? Amazon Prime subscribers may be able to stream Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka live via their platform
THE LOWDOWN
SOONWOO KWON
23-year-old Soonwoo Kwon is not too far from his career-high ATP world ranking of 69th in the world that he achieved just before the suspension of the season last March. The South Korean made the most of his lucky loser spot at the Eastbourne International back in June to reach the semi-finals there before defeat to eventual champion Alex de Minaur. Before that, Kwon achieved his best Grand Slam finish yet with a third round exit at Roland-Garros.
REILLY OPELKA
Reilly Opelka reached a career-high 23rd in the ATP world rankings in August after a stunning run to the finals of the Cincinnati Open, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals before finishing runner-up to Daniil Medvedev. The 23-year-old also reached the semi-finals of the Italian Open before losing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal and his potential in any tournament relies heavily on the conditions suiting his powerful serve. The American is more than just a hard-hitter but he has yet to make any great progress at a Grand Slam.
THE PREDICTION
Opelka was the winner of his only previous encounter on tour with Soonwoo Kwon in a straight-sets quarter-final victory at last season’s Delray Beach Open. The American went on to win that tournament to make it two in total won on US soil and he will be one to watch in these early rounds at Flushing Meadows after a vastly impressive season. A first Masters final earlier this month is a big step in the right direction and he should be able to overpower Kwon’s tricky game here to win in outright. Set-wise this feels most like a four, so it is best to leave that option out of it.
