Benjamin Bonzi's 'Opelka October' Continues with Brussels Victory
Brussels, October 13, 2025
In a thrilling match at the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open, Benjamin Bonzi showcased his resilience and tactical prowess, defeating Reilly Opelka in a hard-fought battle. This victory marks Bonzi's second triumph over Opelka this month, following their encounter in Shanghai just 11 days prior.
Bonzi, ranked 53rd in the PIF ATP Rankings, demonstrated his ability to neutralize Opelka's powerful serving game. Despite facing 13 aces from the American, Bonzi secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory in just 70 minutes. The French tennis player's performance was particularly impressive, as he dominated the indoor hard-court ATP 250 event with a decisive five-game streak in the opening set.
In his post-match interview, Bonzi shared his thoughts on the match, acknowledging the advantage of playing against Opelka the previous week. He noted the contrasting conditions between Shanghai and Brussels, highlighting the faster pace of the Brussels court. Bonzi's strategic approach to returning Opelka's serves and managing the points effectively contributed to his success.
With a 14-19 season record according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Bonzi is set to face a challenging second-round opponent, either sixth-seed Sebastian Baez or his countryman Valentin Royer. Bonzi's indoor event prowess is notable, as he finished the 2024 season with an impressive 21-1 record in indoor matches, including his maiden ATP Tour victory in Metz.
Meanwhile, Marcos Giron emerged as another first-round winner on Monday, defeating Mattia Bellucci 6-3, 6-4. Giron will now face fourth-seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, seeking to improve his head-to-head record against the Spaniard. The match against Fokina will be Giron's first since the 2023 US Open, where he has yet to win a set in their previous encounters.
This tournament continues to showcase the talent and determination of tennis players, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the upcoming matches and the potential for more upsets.
