Misc Tennis

Former Champs Opelka, Nishikori to Play Delray Beach

Former Champs Opelka, Nishikori to Play Delray Beach

Former champions Reilly Opelka and Kei Nishikori fortify a loaded Delray Beach field.

The 2008 champion Nishikori and 2020 Delray Beach titlist Opelka committed to play the tournament as it celebrates its 25th edition in Delray Beach February 10-19,  2023.

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Tommy Paul and 2022 quarterfinalist Grigor Dimitrov have also signed on for the silver anniversary joining Taylor Fritz, defending champion Cameron Norrie, Denis Shapovalov, who helped Canada win its first Davis Cup title on Sunday, and all-time ace leader John Isner.

The Delray Beach is offering a Thanksgiving discount for fans to receive 30 percent off box and reserved seats for sessions 1-6, which ends ends tomorrow, November 30th.

The sessions include ATP Champions Tour opening weekend, ATP 250 qualifying and opening day/night of the ATP 250 event. Fans can use promo code THANKS23 online at www.YellowTennisBall.com (not to be combined with any other offer).

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Nishikori’s surprise victory in 2008 as an 18-year-old qualifier ranked No. 244 remains one of the seminal moments of the tournament’s history as well as Nishikori’s. In that tournament, he saved four match points against Sam Querrey in the semifinals before defeating world No. 12 James Blake to win his first title. Nishikori went on to become the No. 4-ranked player in the world, win 11 more titles and defeat No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the 2014 US Open to become the first Asian Grand Slam men’s singles finalist. His Delray Beach title still ranks him as the youngest winner on the ATP Tour since 1998.

“The Delray Beach Open holds a special place in my heart, because winning it in 2008 as a qualifier was the start of my career and my belief that I belonged at that level,” said Nishikori. “To be able to play it 15 years later is an honor. I hope it brings back the memory of that week for the longtime fans as the tournament marks 25 years in Delray Beach.”

Nishikori returns to the tournament for the first time since 2014.

Opelka, a Delray Beach resident, won the tournament in 2020 and was runner-up in 2022. He holds the Delray Beach record for most aces in one tournament with 99 served in 2020. He won his third and fourth career ATP Tour titles in 2022 in Dallas and Houston, winning the longest tie-break in ATP Tour history (since 1990) 24-22 against Isner in the Dallas semis and defeating Isner in the Houston final.

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