"I can't just be a punching bag": Reilly Opelka sounds off on Greg Allensworth, lack of accountability

FRISCO, Texas—At the Dallas Open on Thursday evening, 2022 champion Reilly Opelka reached his first ATP 500 quarterfinal since October 2020 as he continues his quest for a Top 100 return.

But the 27-year-old only had one talking point on his mind at the tournament’s mixed zone after closing out Cameron Norrie: chair umpire Greg Allensworth.

“I really look forward to playing a tennis match where Greg Allensworth is not my referee,” he told press.

Opelka, who was two points from losing when he trailed Norrie 5-3 in a second-set tiebreaker, eventually put the match on his racquet in a decider. Serving in the third set at 5-4, 30-30, the wild card had enough of a heckler’s actions after being forced to catch his serve following the latest of multiple disruptions by the same man.

The Delray Beach, Fla. resident cursed out the spectator before Allensworth issued a point penalty to Opelka for an audible obscenity (watch in video above), handing Norrie a chance to break back. The world No. 145 pleaded his case to Allensworth, and though the on-site supervisor was called to the court, the decision wasn’t reversed.

“He kept coughing and was hiding behind a pole,” said Opelka of the fan. “I’m like dude, ‘I see you.’ The guy got kicked out and I got penalized. It makes no sense.

“(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.”

Opelka regrouped to ensure the moment didn’t impact the end result for a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory. He did not shake hands with Allensworth.

“If you want to come here to be an asshole, then I’m gonna be one back. It shouldn’t be one-sided traffic,” believes Opelka. “If you want to be disrespectful to me, I can’t just be a punching bag. And 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.”

Opelka later added, “the guy shouldn’t have a job or should be sidelined for about four weeks and you learn a thing or two. You can’t make those calls in ATP 500s.

“You gotta understand the situation. You can’t always play by the rulebook. It’s common sense.”

If you want to be disrespectful to me, I can’t just be a punching bag. And if the ref isn’t doing his job and then he penalizes me, it’s not a good look. Reilly Opelka on the fan

During last year’s North American hard-court swing, Allensworth was at the center of three controversial calls. In Washington, D.C., Denis Shapovalov similarly talked back to an unruly fan after slamming his racquet during a quarterfinal meeting with Ben Shelton. The Canadian was ultimately defaulted in the pair’s second-set tiebreaker, despite Shelton backing Shapovalov by sharing what he heard the onlooker say to Allensworth.

Two more of the American umpire’s decisions caught some heat at the Cincinnati Open. One brought on by an electronic-line-calling malfunction that saw Allensworth replay a point instead of awarding it to Taylor Fritz in a rally that earlier showed Brandon Nakashima’s shot was out. It soon compelled the ATP to issue a "common sense" rule change as it relates to ELC matters, with Frances Tiafoe on the wrong side of a situation in Montreal that felt all too familar.

The second involved a missed double bounce call on Jack Draper when he served at match point against Felix Auger-Aliassime. Replays showed Draper's shot was clearly not up, but Allensworth nor the Brit awarded the point to Auger-Aliassime.

Opelka next faces good friend Tommy Paul, the reigning title holder, Friday night with a semifinal spot up for grabs. Paul held off Ethan Quinn, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. He and Opelka have never met at the tour level until now.