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Delray Beach Open: Opelka races home on heels of first title victory

Chris Nelsen Special to The Post
Reilly Opelka, the world’s No. 56 singles player, won his first ATP Tour title at Sunday’s New York Open. Opelka’s first match at Delray Beach is Tuesday. [ALEX SMITH/New York Open]

DELRAY BEACH — Reilly Opelka’s week has been interesting so far, to say the least.

After winning the New York Open on Sunday — his first career ATP title — the 21-year-old Palm Beach County resident hopped a late Monday afternoon flight to Miami, where he expected to reach his hotel around 10 p.m.

As if his life wasn’t hectic enough, Opelka has to come back on little rest — or preparation — for his first match at the Delray Beach Open. He plays American Tennys Sandgren around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

“Honestly, a title in New York makes it almost impossible to get a first-round win (at Delray Beach),” Opelka told The Post via phone from a New York airport Monday. “Not impossible, but very difficult. I’m keeping low expectations because I have no preparation.

“Fatigue’s not really that big of an issue; I’m in pretty good shape. The preparation (time) is gone.”

Though Opelka knows he’ll be exhausted this week, he wouldn’t trade his New York Open championship for anything.

“It’s a huge moment in my career,” said Opelka, who recently moved from West Palm Beach to Delray Beach. “It’s a great place to get your first title. New York is one of my favorite cities.”

Opelka, the world’s No. 56-ranked player and the fifth-ranked American, trains at Ibis Golf and Country Club in West Palm Beach with legendary coach Jay Berger.

“I started working with Jay in December 2017,” said Opelka, ranked No. 228 in the world coming into last year’s Delray Open.

“I’ve done a lot myself to improve, but to make such an unbelievable jump in the rankings, I don’t think it’s a coincidence I started working with Jay right around that same time. He’s had a lot to do with my success.”