Has Boynton made Opelka's serve even higher? Draper discovered in Miami…

Match Report

Has Boynton made Opelka’s serve even higher? Draper discovered in Miami…

Quinn beats Ruud, Paul advances

March 20, 2026

Certainly Reilly Opelka’s serve, already probably the most feared weapons in tennis, couldn’t get a lot better. But this season, the American believes it has reached a brand new stage, crediting his new coach, Craig Boynton, who has beforehand labored with two of the sport’s greatest servers, John Isner and Hubert Hurkacz, for the advance.

Opelka hit the second-most aces on Tour in 2025, behind solely Taylor Fritz, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats. He unleashed 790 unreturnable deliveries in 49 matches, averaging 16.1 aces per match. In 2026, the American has already fired 254 aces in simply 10 matches, elevating his common to 25.4 per match.

Opelka joined forces with Boynton in January and heaped reward on the American coach following his second-round victory towards British lefty Jack Draper on Friday on the Miami Open offered by Itau.

“We have now made a couple of technical adjustments. We’ve been engaged on my return, consider it or not. The stats don’t present when it comes to breaking, however in case you take a look at my stats with balls in play, there are a variety of optimistic issues occurring,” Opelka stated after beating Draper 7-6(3), 7-6(0).

“I’m serving rather well. I’m serving the perfect I’ve served. I’m actually proud of my movement and approach. We’re nonetheless early on, however I couldn’t have picked a greater coach.”

Opelka struck 27 aces towards Nuno Borges in his first-round match in Miami after which 25 aces towards Draper, who was competing in simply his third ATP Tour occasion again after a left arm harm. The 28-year-old American is now one win from advancing to the fourth spherical at an ATP Masters 1000 occasion for the primary time since Indian Wells in 2022 and can subsequent meet countryman Taylor Fritz or Botic van de Zandschulp.

In different motion on Friday in Miami, Ethan Quinn maintained his spectacular run of type with a 6-4, 7-6(7) victory towards eleventh seed Casper Ruud. Quinn received the title on the ATP Challenger occasion in Phoenix final week and defeated Hubert Hurkacz within the first spherical in Miami. He saved seven set factors within the second set towards Ruud and can play Jiri Lehecka or #NextGenATP Frenchman Moise Kouame within the third spherical.

In an excellent day for American stars, Tommy Paul bounced Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Paul’s greatest consequence this season got here in Delray Seaside, the place he made the ultimate. The 28-year-old will subsequent face Flavio Cobolli or Raphael Collignon in Miami.