Reilly Opelka calls for umpire to be suspended as he labels him ‘the worst’ on the ATP Tour

Despite making it to the next round of the Dallas Open Reilly Opelka was left feeling very frustrated.

For the first time since 2022, the big-serving American took on Cam Norrie for a spot in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event.

Reilly Opelka played the Brit for the fourth time in his career and he levelled their head-to-head rivalry by coming from a set down to win 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4.

But post-match Opelka was thinking more about ATP Tour chair umpire Greg Allensworth than his victory, and he made his feelings about the official very clear.

Reilly Opelka slams ATP chair umpire Greg Allensworth at the Dallas Open

Opelka was fuming with umpire Allensworth following an incident in the closing stages of his Dallas Open contest against Norrie.

The incident took place with Opelka serving for the match up 5-4 in the second set, and the game’s score was 30-30.

A fan caught the attention of Opelka and the 27-year-old responded to the spectator using obscene language. “You doing it on f****** purpose or what?,” he said. “Go the f*** inside buddy.”

Allensworth gave him a point penalty and despite Opelka’s protests, the supervisor came out and agreed with the decision that had been made.

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Opelka was therefore down a break point, but he proceeded to save it and eventually serve out the match. Post-match, Opelka did not shake the umpire’s hand and used his interview to express his anger with Allensworth, who has been involved in controversial decisions before.

“Greg Allensworth was the worst ref in the institute like we were talking about in the locker room of all the players. It’s a coincidence like literally two days ago,” Opelka told reporters.

“Definitely, like the worst umpire on tour. He almost changed the outcome of that match just because he doesn’t really know what he’s doing.

“(Allensworth) got emotional, like we were arguing. He got very intense and frantic, couldn’t give me an answer. He didn’t tell that guy to shut up. He was doing it for like three points. He didn’t do a good job, so I had to tell him to get out of here. The guy was being quite rude.

“If the ref isn’t doing his job and then he penalizes me, it’s not a good look. Almost changed the outcome of the match. He gets no penalty. If I lose that point, I lose that match, that’s a difference in my paycheck. He gets no repercussions.

“That was bush league, and we know it’s amateur hour when he is on court.” Opelka even went as far as to say he does not want Allensworth to umpire any more of matches.

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Who will Reilly Opelka play next?

Opelka came through the controversial and heated encounter at the Dallas Open and he now has to prepare for another difficult contest.

He will play against his fellow American and the defending champion Tommy Paul, who also came through a tough battle in the previous round.

Paul played another American in Ethan Quinn, and he failed to serve for the match in the second set. The 20-year-old then won five straight games to take the match into a decider.

But Paul used his experience and kept his cool to move ahead in set three and clinch a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory in two-hours and 30 minutes.

“I’ve been in these situations a little bit more,” said Paul, who will play Opelka for the first time. “I felt a little more comfortable.

“That’s how you win the big matches, being better in the big moments. I tried to do that today. It would’ve been nice to serve out the second set, but do it in three.”

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