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Reilly Opelka: Seldom has time to cook

Reilly Opelka measures 2.11 meters. Such a body wants to be nourished in a thoughtful manner. In an interview with ATPTour.com , the American reveals why you rarely find him in the kitchen.

by Dennis Heineman
last edit: Mar 08, 2022, 11:10 am

Reilly Opelka needs a lot of calories – but doesn't eat everything
© Getty Images
Reilly Opelka needs a lot of calories – but doesn't eat everything

Reilly Opelka spent parts of the pandemic with Tommy Paul. When asked if the two of them ever cooked, Opelka says: "Very rarely, maybe once a year. I only do this at home when I have time. If it's more efficient for me to make oatmeal or scrambled eggs, then I'll do it — although even that still takes too much time.” Opelka isn't a fan of “tracking” the entire diet, but he's observing what is he eats. For him it's all about a certain balance. He doesn't take it too seriously.

When asked about the past, Opelka says: "I've always had a sweet tooth. And that has never changed. I love Lucky Charms , I like to eat something like that in the evening. Luckily, I'm also very active when I'm not training. I play basketball, I run around somewhere, I work on my speed, I'm always on my feet. My energy consumption is high. Also, I'm a big guy – that helps.”

Different awareness at Grand Slams

In normal everyday life, Opelka enjoys not having to constantly worry about his food intake. But the moment he finds himself in a Grand Slam tournament, that changes. “Especially when it comes to five-set matches in Grand Slam tournaments, what was eaten beforehand is extremely important. I also don't drink any alcoholic beverages before playing."

In the interview, Opelka is also asked what he likes best and what he will never need again: “I love caviar. Good caviar is unbeatable. But I don't like eels or sea urchins at all. I've tried, but I just don't like it. In general, I eat a lot of Japanese food, it's my favorite cuisine."

Here is the full interview

And if you want more spontaneous answers from the current No. 17 in the ranking, you might want to watch this short video:

by Dennis Heineman

Tuesday
Mar 08, 2022, 05:30 pm
last edit: Mar 08, 2022, 11:10 am