Davis Cup US team could be missing ailing Taylor Fritz for Czech Republic match

DELRAY BEACH – The U.S. Davis Cup team already was beset by the injury pullouts of Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul, announced during the U.S. Open.

Now on the eve of competition U.S. captain Bob Bryan faces another obstacle – having Taylor Fritz at less than 100 percent, if he plays at all.

Fritz was a no-show to the Davis Cup draw ceremony Sept. 11 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.

Fritz is ailing, according to Bryan, but he is still hopeful the world’s No. 6 player will take the court when the Americans face the Czech Republic in a second-round tie.

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“He’s feeling a little under the weather, not feeling great today,’’ Bryan said at the post-draw press conference. “He’s committed to playing (Sept. 12). He just needs some rest.

“He is not joining us today,’’ Bryan added. “He wanted to be in the draw. He’s confident he’ll be playing. He wants a full recovery and be 100 percent for the match. ‘’

Bryan calls his Big 3 “Reilly, Fritzie and Big Foe.’’ That is, Reilly Opelka, Fritz and Frances Tiafoe.

Following the draw, Tiafoe will open the best-of-five tie with a 6 p.m. match Sept. 12 vs. Czech Republic star, 16^th-ranked Jiri Lehecka, coming off a run to the U.S. Open quarterfinals.

Taylor Fritz or Reilly Opelka will face Miami Open champion

Weather and health permitting, the second match will be Fritz vs. 2025 Miami Open champion Jacub Mensik, the budding star who turned 20 on Sept. 1

If Fritz can’t go, Opelka, the serving machine from Boca Raton, will be the replacement. The second-day action on Sept. 13 will start with doubles at 2 p.m. After the injuries to Shelton and Paul, Bryan selected two doubles specialists who have formed a sensational tour tandem in Rajeev Ram and Austin Kracijek.

Ram-Kracijek will face the Czech doubles team of Adam Pavlasek and Tomas Machchak. The Americans routed the Czech duo in the Olympics in Paris last summer.

The Sept. 13 reverse singles matches are slated as Fritz vs. Lehecka and, if necessary, Tiafoe vs. Mensik. But captains can make adjustments, especially if the tie is clinched.

The United States has a big edge in doubles. However, you can make the case the singles matches, especially if Fritz hasn’t recovered, as a tossup.

Bryan still has faith in his new Big 3, all South Floridian residents. Tiafoe moved a few years ago to Boynton Beach, then Boca Raton. Fritz lives in Miami.

“Reilly, Fritzie and Big Foe have all won this tournament (The Delray Beach Open of the ATP tour),’’ Bryan said. “They’re comfortable playing in Delray. They’re all excited to play at home, in front of their fans. The crowd can be an extension of the bench. If you can get that home support, it’s like another player on your team.

“They’ve lived in this town, they’ve practiced here. The conditions are favorable to this team.’’

Czech team complaining about the weather

The Czech Republic captain, Thomas Berdych, and even some players have disapproved of conditions due to Delray Beach’s  mid-September weather with its heat, humidity, lightning and rain. Hurricane season has messed up practice schedules and perhaps could delay this weekend’s matches.

As Lehecka said, Delray has “conditions different from what we’ve been playing through the last month on the North American tour.’’

The Tiafoe-Lehecka opener will be compelling as it is a rematch of their 2024 match in Cincinnati – the biggest U.S. Open tune-up. Tiafoe won in a third-set tiebreaker.

Lehecka is in better form with his recent Open run. Tiafoe lost to a German qualifier in the third round after which he was so down, he cast doubt on the future of his September schedule.

An Open semifinalist in 2024, Tiafoe lost a bunch of computer points and saw his ranking drop to 29^th.

“Obviously it didn’t go as I hoped for sure,’’ Tiafoe said. “But I’m here now. I love being in this area. I live in this area. I’ve moved past it. It is what it is. I’m happy to be with these guys and getting some wins for us.’’

Noting the Americans are 5-0 in Delray Beach between the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup (the women’s international event), Tiafoe said. “Hopefully, we will make it 6-0 and take care of business. It’s always nice to play in The States. I never take it for granted.’’

Regarding the draw that netted him Lehecka off the bat, Tiafoe said, “Everyone is  good here. Last time I played him, I had a crazy match with him. Hopefully we will do it again and have a same result.’’

 Lehecka, 23, showered Tiafoe with praise but feels he’s got a good shot.

“(Tiafoe) is a tough player who can make all the shots.’’ Lehecka said. “He can move well. He can do basically everything.  The match is going to be very tough. He likes to play on his home soil. But I’m a different player than I was a year ago when I was coming back from a back injury. I definitely think I have the game to win.’’   

Also in Czech Republic’s favor is Mensik having beaten Fritz in the Miami Open semifinals four months ago in two tiebreakers.

Mensik said these courts are slower than Miami’s and added he feels “confident’’ because Fritz “has the game style I like.’’

If it’s not Fritz, it will be Opelka, who got the nod after Shelton went down at the Open with a mysterious shoulder injury. Opelka had an awful Open draw, losing in the first round to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.  Opelka was in Boca when he got the phone call from Bryan, the doubles legend.

“I’m excited,’’ Opelka said. ‘It’s a no-brainer when Bob calls. It’s really special playing for Bob.’’

Bob Bryan looking forward to home-court advantage

Bryan feels the home crowd will be vital and called Delray “an amazing community of tennis fans.” Bryan was on the 2004 Davis Cup team that beat Sweden here. The last time a Davis Cup match was held in the U.S. was four years ago in Reno, Nevada.

Six other second-round matches will take place this week around the globe, including ties in Japan, Australia and the Netherlands.

With defending champion Italy already into the final round, seven other countries will join them after the weekend’s action. Italy will host the 8-team Davis Cup Finals in November in Bologna.

Bryan admitted the heaviness of the tour schedule and the advent of next week’s Laver Cup (World vs. Europe) has diluted the Davis Cup in recent years.

“It’s been such an important competition for so many years, over 100 years,’’ Bryan said. “For the newer players, it lost some of its shine. We’re here to bring it back in the fans’ minds with this tie.

“Davis Cup is different. They call it the World Cup of tennis. There’s a different type of pride representing your country. There’s not as many smiles at the Laver Cup.’’

Davis CupU.S. vs. Czech RepublicDelray Beach Tennis CenterSept. 12 – 6 p.m.Sept. 13 – 2 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Davis Cup 2025: US team anchored by Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Reilly Opelka