ATP Cup: John Millman sympathises with US star Reilly Opelka over rankings points issue

Reilly Opelka was far from happy when learning, as the third ranked US player, he would not be able to push his rankings cause at the inaugural ATP Cup. John Millman can understand where he is coming from.

Reilly Opelka of the US returns the ball to Canada's Vasek Pospisil during the singles tennis match between USA and Canada at the Davis Cup Madrid Finals 2019 in Madrid on November 19, 2019. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)

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John Millman has leapt to the defence of Reilly Opelka, after the American tennis star was slammed on Twitter for criticising the ATP Cup format.

The new tournament requires the No.1 and No.2 ranked players from each country to go head to head in two singles matches.

World No.36 Opelka, America’s third highest ranked men’s player, is not part of Team USA and is unable to play for the 750 ATP ranking points up for grabs throughout the tournament.

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Reilly Opelka had some choice words to say about the ATP Cup set-up.

After beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 on Sunday in Brisbane, Millman said while he loved the team focus of the ATP Cup, he does not think points won across the tournament should affect rankings.

“A lot of people don’t understand that because they don’t understand how the points system works, but you can play 30, 35 tournaments or you can play every week if you want, but it’s your top 18 tournaments that count, right?” Millman said.

“This is counted as an extra tournament, as is the Masters at the end of the year. So some guys get 20, some guys get 19, some guys get 18. Now I got the win, then, I get 19 tournaments and it doesn’t sit well with me.”

Opelka previously slammed the Cup for giving the top 800 players, instead of top 50 players, the opportunity to play for points.

John Millman says the current system ‘doesn’t sit well with me’.

“Well, the ATP Cup is pathetic. I think it’s shocking on behalf of the ATP for them to pass that and allow that,” Opelka said after last year’s Davis Cup in Madrid.

“I’m not going to play because I’m the second or third-highest ranked American, and only the two top guys play,” he said.

“It’s unfair, there’s not equal opportunity for everyone.”