Opelka, Bryan brothers sweep Delray Beach Open titles

It was a big day for three Americans and, more specifically, three Floridians, on Sunday at the Delray Beach Open.

Delray Beach resident Reilly Opelka won a pair of three-setters on the day to end the week with his second career ATP singles title, and his first of 2020. In between Opelka's victories, No. 1 doubles seeds Bob and Mike Bryan won a third-set match tiebreak to claim their record-extending 119th ATP title as a pair. Bob lives in nearby Sunny Isles Beach, while Mike calls Wesley Chapel, some 200 miles north, home.

Opelka, who was supported by a vocal crowd full of friends, started his day with a showdown against No. 2 seed and former world No. 3 Milos Raonic. After rain postponed the marquee matchup from Saturday evening, the American found himself two points from elimination late Sunday morning, as Raonic won the first set and sent the second into a tiebreak. But from 6-all in the breaker, Opelka won two points in a row to take it, 8-6, then stayed strong in the final set to score a 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory and book his place in the final.

He then spent the next three hours icing an aching knee, eating and keeping his body warm for the final against Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka.

It was time well spent, as Opelka struck first in the championship match to take the opening set. But he was forced to play a sixth set on the day when Nishioka levelled the match in a tiebreak, 7-4. While it would have been easy to fade as he approached four hours on court for the day, Opelka summoned a dominant deciding set to take the title with a double-break cushion, 7-5, 6-7, 6-2. The 6-foot-11 bomber fired a tournament-high 27 aces in the final, after producing 19 aces in the semis.

"Physically, it was a really good test for me," Opelka, whose career goal is to win one major singles title, said in a post-match press conference. "I think that was right around my limit, playing six sets like that. It almost feels like playing a Grand Slam."

WATCH: Opelka's message to the fans after his championship run

Matching their compatriot for drama, the Bryans came from behind to take out the No. 4-seeded duo of Luke Bambridge (Great Britain) and Ben McLachlan (Japan), 3-6, 7-5, 10-5. The brothers, who are set to retire after the 2020 US Open, won match tiebreakers in all three of their Delray victories, after benefitting from a walkover in Round 1.

"You've got to start off hot," Bob said of their success in the deciders. "We got big leads in every one."

It's the duo's sixth Delray title, and their home-state event is now the sixth ATP tournament they have won at least six times. It's also the 20th straight year in which the Bryans have won an ATP title.

"It's cool," Mike said of the two-decade stat. "It makes us feel old, but it makes us feel great that we can win and be this consistent over 20 years."

In addiiton to their Delray titles, the three champions have something else in common: Opelka, Bob and Mike will be joining forces to represent Team USA in Davis Cup play, when they travel to Honolulu to face Uzbekistan, March 6-7.

Photo credit: Andrew Patron