Opelka Edges Loffhagen After Tight Win, Advances to Second Round at Eastbourne Opener 2025

Reilly Opelka made a confident return to grass courts on Tuesday, defeating British wildcard George Loffhagen in a dramatic first-round clash at the 2025 Lexus Eastbourne Open.

The towering American, currently ranked No. 72 in the world, fired 19 aces and displayed his trademark power in a tightly contested three-set battle, ultimately prevailing 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(1) in just over two hours.

Roared on by a supportive home crowd, Loffhagen pushed Opelka to the brink, snatching the second set with sharp groundstrokes and consistent returns. However, Opelka rose to the occasion in the deciding set, dominating the tiebreak to secure his place in the second round.

Standing at 6 feet 11 inches, Opelka will next face No. 3 seed Jakub Mensik, with a quarterfinal berth at stake. The victory marks a promising step forward for the American, who is aiming to rebuild form during the grass-court swing in the lead-up to Wimbledon.

ATP Round-Up: Eastbourne and Beyond

In another all-Australian clash at Eastbourne, James Duckworth outplayed compatriot Aleksandar Vukic, securing a 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1 win to advance to the next round.

Meanwhile, tournament top seed Taylor Fritz is set to kick off his campaign on Wednesday against Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, a rising talent making waves on tour.

WTA Action at Eastbourne: Krejcikova Cruises, Raducanu Awaits

On the women’s side, Barbora Krejcikova, the reigning Wimbledon champion and second seed, opened her Eastbourne campaign with a routine victory. She was joined in the second round by Rebecca Sramkova (No. 8), Jodie Anna Burrage, Varvara Gracheva, Kamilla Rakhimova, and Kimberly Birrell.

Later in the day, two seeded names—Magda Linette (No. 5) and British hope Emma Raducanu (No. 7)—were expected to begin their title runs.

Mallorca Championships: Tomic Breaks Through, Agut Advances

In Spain, Bernard Tomic notched his first singles win of the season, defeating Rinky Hijikata 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the opening round of the Mallorca Championships. Tomic, now ranked No. 248, will face seventh seed Roberto Bautista Agut in his next match.

Agut came from a set down to eliminate Tomas Martin Etcheverry 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. American qualifier Brandon Holt also progressed with a hard-fought 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Benjamin Bonzi.

Later today, Felix Auger-Aliassime (No. 2) is scheduled to take the court, while top seed Ben Shelton will meet Learner Tien in second-round action on Wednesday.

Bad Homburg Open: Pegula, Paolini Advance Ahead of Swiatek Showdown

In Germany, Jessica Pegula showed no signs of rust, defeating Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 6-3 to ease into the second round at the Bad Homburg Open. Fellow top seed Jasmine Paolini edged out Leylah Fernandez in two tiebreak sets, 7-6(8), 7-6(6), in one of the day’s most competitive matches.

Beatriz Haddad Maia also moved through with a composed win, setting up a strong second-round field.

All eyes now turn to the anticipated clash between world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, in what promises to be a marquee opening-round battle.