(September 12, 2025) DELRAY BEACH, FL – After the first day of the Davis Cup Second Round Qualifier matchup between the United States and Czechia, the tie is even at one rubber apiece.
In the second match of the night, world No. 5 Taylor Fritz won Team USA’s first match of the tie against No. 17 Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-3 to level the tie at 1-1. The win for the American avenged a loss to the Czech at the most recent Miami Open semifinal.
“Yeah, it was a tough match,” said Fritz. “I think the conditions are really tough. You have to play very differently with just how slow the court is, especially at night. You know, humid, heavy conditions. Sometimes even being aggressive can actually, like, hurt you. So it definitely took me a couple of games to kind of figure out what shots were good, what shots maybe I should avoid. I got into a good rhythm. I thought I played well.”
Fritz has been ill over the past few days and has barely left his bed. I’m sick. Like, I felt like two of the practices I had in the days leading up kind of didn’t feel right. I felt like I was getting so, just exhausted for no reason. I kind of felt like maybe some sickness was coming on.
“Two nights ago, I finished a practice with Frances and I was driving home, and I just started feeling, like, just so, so sick. I was up all night just, like, coughing, sore throat, all that normal stuff. I woke up yesterday morning just, I felt so bad. It was just like yesterday was kind of like that peak day of the sickness where it’s, like, the worst. I still don’t feel great, but today, where I was at yesterday, like, I’m a lot better today, for sure”
Captain Bob Bryan said that Fritz’s win is a big boost for the team: “Going in when I woke up this morning, I didn’t know if Taylor would be available to his team, and obviously I was excited to hear the news that he was turning the corner with his sickness and he was going to be able to go out there and compete.
“So, look, a 1-1 is a good spot for this team. You know, we’ve got two experienced players playing doubles tomorrow. Hopefully get us into that lead, and then we can close the door. But 1-1, sleeping on that feels good.”
It’s been a rainy week at Delray Beach, and the first match was delayed for an hour.
It took just 78 minutes for world No. 16 Jiri Lehecka to beat Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-2 in the first rubber of the Davis Cup tie on Friday to give the Czechs the early 1-0 lead on Friday night.
“Obviously, not that pleased with it,” Tiafoe said of the loss. “Yeah, just tough. I thought I had some looks early. Once he broke me, I thought he did a great job of front-running. Really heavy conditions out there. He played well. Kind of a testament how I have been playing. Just not great. Just not playing very well. But, you know, early on it was a bit better. Just not playing well. Not playing nearly the level I should be, and that’s just the reality.
“Of course he played well. Just came off quarters at the US Open. He played well today, but I mean, just kind of a testament how I have been playing.,” said No. 29 Tiafoe.
Lehecka, ranked at No. 16, talked about the win: “I think from my side it was a well-handled match. Of course every matchup against Frances is tough. You never know what to expect. He is a very experienced player who loves to play in front of his home crowd. You know, so together with all the delays and the weather, which didn’t really give us a chance to warm up properly, I think I handled it well.
“Yeah, I think from my side, most important thing was to start well, because in the beginning, there was a lot of close games. Then in the important moments, I just kept applying the pressure on him. I just kept, you know, put the ball in play, made him suffer a bit to move more. That’s something what I see as a key in today’s match.”
“First night of action, luckily we had the time to finish it, which is great,” said Czechia Captain Tomas Berdych. “After the week, we had a chance to play in the evening finally, so that’s good. That’s the first positive thing to start with. And then there is another positive thing, that Jiri played absolutely incredible match, which is another one, so he brings the first points to the locker room, which is great.
“Then unfortunately, I mean, Jakub was not able to deliver the point, same as Jiri. I mean, obviously he had a much tougher opponent, that’s for sure. He made couple of mistakes, especially in the beginning, and then with the combination of very tough opponent, which Taylor is, then, you know, it’s like a little bit like a snowball, which there are not big things that makes the difference, but this high level of tennis, which in the end, will end up it was just like two straight sets for the States.
“Anyway, overall, I mean, it’s 1-All after Friday, which I think it’s very acceptable for us. Yeah, we still have it quite open for tomorrow, which is good. We are in a good chance that no matter how the first doubles goes tomorrow, we still have a chance at Jiri, who plays really well, we’ll get back on par.”
The Davis Cup tie is taking place at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, home of the ATP event, the Delray Beach Open.
Day 2 features doubles and reverse singles. Play begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Day 1 Results
Jiri Lehecka (CZE) d. Frances Tiafoe (USA), 6-3, 6-2; Scorecard
Taylor Fritz (USA) d. Jakub Mensik (CZE), 6-4, 6-3; Scorecard
Saturday, September 13 (2 p.m. ET)
Austin Krajicek/Rajeev Ram (USA) v. Adam Pavlasek/Tomas Machac (CZE)
Fritz (USA) v. Lehecka (CZE)
Tiafoe (USA) v. Mensik (CZE)
