U.S. and Czechia tied 1-1 after first day of 2025 Davis Cup Second Round Qualifier

Lehecka, a 2025 US Open quarterfinalist, nabbed the first point of the tie for Czechia by defeating Tiafoe 6-3, 6-2. The first set followed serve for the first several games, until the Czech earned a break to lead 5-3, and he rode that momentum through the rest of the rubber.

Tiafoe did a great job coming up the net, winning some tough points by being aggressive, but his best game eluded him as his opponent read the ball well and covered the court with ease. 

"I thought I had some looks early. Once he broke me, I thought he did a great job of front-running," Tiafoe said. "You have to tip your hat when a guy is playing that well. Just give him credit."

While today didn't go his way, and both captains could make changes to the lineup, Tiafoe is excited for the potential challenge of playing the deciding rubber—although he would be happier if the U.S. clinched their spot in the Final 8 after the fourth rubber.

Although he didn't feel 100%, Fritz remained consistent throughout the match, although he said after the match that he needed a few games to adjust to the conditions and determine which shots and strategy would be most effective. He ran for just about every ball, sprinting up to the net to get even the shortest drop shots and fighting for every groundstroke off both wings.

"We just all [had] huge smiles on our faces. I was blown away by the effort Taylor put in tonight. Sometimes when you're not feeling

your best, you kind of just focus on the present and take

one point at a time," Bryan said. "We were all surprised and impressed by the effort."

While Team USA owns a 5-0 record in team competitions in Delray Beach, this is a tough tie between two top teams, so captain Bob Bryan isn't sweating the scoreline too much, especially with 2024 Olympic silver medalists Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek slated to suit up for the doubles rubber when action resumes on Saturday.