SERVING machine Reilly Opelka left the Pat Rafter Arena crowd a little shellshocked after his massive upset win over top seed and 24-time Grand Slam winner, Novak Djokovic at the 2025 Brisbane International last night.

The American world number 293 – a former Top 20 player himself – has had to overcome a serious hip injury that involved removing a tumour, as well as a couple of wrist injuries that kept him sidelined for an extended period of time. At 27 years-old, Opelka has returned to the ATP Tour, with the 211cm server making a splash already.

While wins over higher ranked opponents Fernanda Contreas Gomez and Matteo Arnaldi were impressive, nothing comes close to knocking off the greatest male Grand Slam winner in history. Despite going in as underdog in waht was their first meeting, Opelka showed no fear, and with his reliable and nearly impenetrable serve, closed out the first set in a tiebreaker.

Tiebreakers are nothing new to a player with a serve like Opelka’s, but Djokovic is the best of all-time at them, so to win it 8-6 was almost as impressive as breaking the Serbian early in the second set to race to a 4-1 lead. No matter how hard Djokovic tried, he could not break back, and Opelka won 7-6 6-3 to book his place in the semi-finals of the ATP 250 event.

“He’s the greatest tennis player the sport’s ever seen,” Opelka said. “It’s difficult being in Novak’s position. He can scout me or his other opponent all day long.

“The reality is we have nothing to lose coming against him. He’s the greatest player ever so you end up playing more freely and you … take a lot more risk because it’s your only chance if you play your normal level, or even above your normal level, he’s going to win every time.

“It’s tough in his position because he gets guys who are good players who roll the dice and on a good day like this when a lot of things go my way that’s how it works out.”

Opelka served 16 aces among 36 winners as he made every shot a winner against one of the best returner’s on Tour. Having not faced a Top 10 rival in more than two years, Opelka’s last win against a player in that coveted group was back at the 2021 Toronto Masters when he overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The American will now face the new-age serving machine in Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Both known as “serve bots” – players who win the majority of their points off unreturnable serves – expect the ace count to be ridiculously high, and more than likely each set become a tiebreaker.

Mpetshi Perricard booked his spot in teh alst four with a 7-5 7-6 triumph over young Czech Jakub Mensik. Meanwhile reigning champion Grigor Dimitrov became the last seed in the draw, with the second ranked player at Brisbane overcoming a sore Jordan Thompson. The Bulgarian was leading 6-1 2-1 when Thompson retired mid-match, and he will now face Czech Jiri Lehecka for a spot in the final.