On June 25, 2025, Reilly Opelka will face third seed Jakub Mensik in the second round of the Lexus Eastbourne Open at Devonshire Park LTC in Eastbourne, United Kingdom. This ATP 250 event is played on grass courts, with a prize pool of €756,875, and the match will be broadcast live on Tennis Channel in the USA and Sky Sports in the UK.
Form and Season Progress for Opelka and Mensik
Reilly Opelka started 2025 on a high note, reaching the Brisbane final before retiring due to injury against Jiri Lehecka. Across all competitions, including Challenger events, Opelka holds a 22-16 win-loss record this year. He showed promise on grass at the Libema Open despite losing in qualifiers to Mark Lajal; as a lucky loser, he advanced impressively to the semifinals by defeating players such as Jesper De Jong, Nicolas Jarry, and Daniil Medvedev before falling to Zizou Bergs. At Eastbourne, Opelka opened his campaign with a tight three-set victory over George Loffhagen, winning 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (1).
Jakub Mensik has a strong 24-13 record in 2025, including Challenger rounds. His standout achievement this year was winning the Miami Open, where he triumphed over several established players, including Roberto Bautista Agut, Jack Draper, Tomas Machac, Arthur Fils, and Taylor Fritz, defeating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) in the final. However, his grass season began with a mixed performance at Queen’s Club, where he beat Cameron Norrie 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-1 in the first round but was eliminated in a close second-round match against Roberto Bautista Agut. Having received a first-round bye at Eastbourne, Mensik enters this match fresh.
First Encounter on the ATP Tour Between Opelka and Mensik
This meeting marks the inaugural ATP Tour matchup between Reilly Opelka and Jakub Mensik, adding an element of unpredictability to the fixture as neither player has an established head-to-head advantage.
Competitive Outlook and Match Prediction
Reilly Opelka has yet to reach a singles final on grass courts, although he did reach the doubles final at the Queen’s Club Championships in 2021 alongside John Peers. Notably, Opelka is a former Junior Wimbledon champion, having secured the title in 2015 by defeating Michael Ymer in the final, showcasing his potential on grass from an early age. Mensik’s emerging career has seen him claim finals only on hard courts so far, and his grass-court credentials remain untested at ATP and Challenger levels.
Both athletes are known for their powerful serves, which tend to dominate grass-court play and make service breaks particularly crucial. Considering current form and adaptability on the surface, Mensik is slightly favored to claim victory in a three-set match.
“Pick- Mensik to win in three sets” — Analyst
Significance of the Match at Eastbourne Open 2025
This second-round contest is pivotal for both players aiming to gain momentum during the grass season and carve deeper runs in ATP 250 tournaments. A win here could boost confidence ahead of Wimbledon, especially since both Opelka and Mensik are working to establish or reinforce their reputations on grass. For Opelka, overcoming a high-quality opponent like Mensik might mark a breakthrough in his grass-court career, while Mensik seeks to build on his rising profile after a landmark Miami Open title.