Reilly ‘The Bot’ Opelka set to be replaced by Casper ‘The Iceman’ Ruud as big-serving American withdraws from UTS Frankfurt

Casper ‘The Iceman’ Ruud will replace Reilly ‘The Bot’ Opelka after the big-serving American withdrew from UTS Frankfurt due to injury

Casper Ruud competes at the 2023 US Open © Zuma / Panoramic

Jamie Malachy

September 6, 2023

A last-minute change to the cast of the UTS has been announced just over a week before the start of the event, which will be held in Frankfurt between 15th and 17th September.

After the announcement of Nick Kyrgios’ withdrawal, with the Aussie being replaced by the local Jan-Lennard “The Thunder” Struff, it is now Reilly “The Bot” Opelka who has had to pull out.

In an interview with Tennis Majors, the American explained that he had not yet recovered enough from his wrist injury to be competitive on the second leg of the 2023 UTS Tour which takes place in Germany in a week’s time.

“I’ve had my ups and downs for a while, but I’m finally on the right track. I was telling Jeremy Chardy that if UTS happened a week later, I could play – or maybe two weeks later – I’m pretty confident, but I’m not quite there yet.”

“I haven’t started serving yet. I think that’s the most important thing right now, trusting my wrist to serve with strength. That’s the only thing that’s still holding me back. I can do it, which is great, but the problem is that after one or two days of intense service, my wrist is still a little irritated. So I have to be careful.”

Casper Ruud makes his UTS debut as ‘The Iceman’

Reilly Opelka will be replaced by Casper Ruud, who will be take on the nickname of “The Iceman” in Frankfurt. This will be the Norwegian’s first appearance at a UTS event.

He joins Gael “La Monf” Monfils, Andrey “Rublo” Rublev, Diego “El Peque” Schwartzman, Daniil “The Chessmaster” Medvedev, Benoit “The Rebel” Paire, “The Thunder” Jan-Lennard Struff, and Christopher “The Rocket” Eubanks.

Ruud is in Group A with Medvedev, Struff and Benoit Paire, with the match schedule due to be finalised and released next week.

After enduring a difficult start to his 2023 season, Casper Ruud found form during the European clay-court swing – his favoured surface.

The world No 5 has reached three finals this year, finishing runner-up at Bastad and Roland-Garros – his second final in Paris and third at Grand Slam level – and winning the title at Estoril. All of these successes came on clay.

Also a finalist at the US Open in 2022, the Norwegian was knocked out in the second round in New York this year by China’s Zhang Zhizhen in what was a huge upset.

‘The Iceman’ will be hoping to rediscover his best form in time for his UTS debut in Frankfurt next week.