Tommy Paul tames Reilly Opelka in Adelaide, notches first win in 4 months | ATP Tour
Adelaide International 2
Paul tames Opelka in Adelaide, notches first win in 4 months
Top seeds Davidovich Fokina, Humbert, Manar also advance to the hard court ATP 250
January 14, 2026
Sarah Reed / Getty Images
Tommy Paul records his first victory since the US Open in August.
Written by Jerome Coombe
Tommy Paul needed one more chance to slow down the ‘servebot’ and get his 2026 season underway on Wednesday, when he claimed his first tour-level win in four months at the Adelaide International.
After falling to rising Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard last week in Brisbane – his first tour-level match since the US Open in August – Paul responded in Adelaide to beat countryman Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-4 and reach the quarter-finals. The 28-year-old American has been sidelined since the end of 2025 with a long-term foot injury but showed no ill effects in his return to Adelaide, where he made two semi-final exits.
“I played someone with a similar game last week, so that might have helped,” Paul joked. “I wasn’t playing in tournaments but I was training. I usually like the stadiums in Australia, they always match my game. It’s good to be back. I’m happy with the way my body is and I’m happy that the year has gone really well.”
First win of the season 🙌
No. 2 seeds @TommyPaul1 eliminated fellow Opelka 6-4, 6-4 to reach his sixth place @AdelaideTennis the quarter-final.#AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/wRyUs0NIfA
– ATP Tour (@atptour) January 14, 2026
Paul reached a peak of No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings last June, but dropped to World No.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, competing as a top seed in an ATP Tour event for the first time in his career, also recorded his first victory of the 2026 season. The Spaniard demolished Aussie wild card Rinky Hijikata 6-3, 6-2 and will meet Valentin Vacherot in the quarter-finals.
Fifth-placed and reigning Shanghai champion Vacherot advanced on Wednesday after home favorite Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew from their second-round match with a right shoulder injury. In his opener – his first singles appearance in nearly 12 months due to pectoral surgery – he battled past Sebastian Korda, but was unable to take to the court in the next round.
Earlier in Adelaide, Jaume Munar continued his impressive form by upsetting third seed Francisco Cerundolo 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to clinch his 17th win over the top 20 seed. Munar is coming off the back of an impressive 2025 season, in which he achieved a career-best 31 wins, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and meets eighth seed Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals.
Ugo Humbert will lead Lexus ATP Head2Head 2-0 in the quarter final match with Alexander Shevchenko, who also won on Wednesday. Humbert defeated fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 6-4 in just 78 minutes, while Shevchenko defeated Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 7-6 (6).
