Photograph credit score: Boss Open Fb
An in poor health Taylor Fritz revived the US again to well being.
Battling illness, Fritz swept Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-3, to stage the US with Czechia, 1-1, on the Davis Cup Second Spherical Qualifying tie staged on exhausting court docket on the Delray Seashore Tennis Heart.
Within the night time’s opening match, world No. 16 Jiri Lehecka defeated Frances Tiafoe, 6-3, 6-2, to earn the primary level of the tie for Czechia.
That put added strain on Fritz, who didn’t attend the draw ceremony in an effort to get better for his opener.
“I’m sick. Like, I felt like two of the practices I had within the days main up form of didn’t really feel proper,” Fritz mentioned. “I felt like I used to be getting so, simply exhausted for no motive. I form of felt like perhaps some illness was approaching.
“Two nights in the past, I completed a observe with Frances and I used to be driving house, and I simply began feeling, like, simply so, so sick. I used to be up all night time simply, like, coughing, sore throat, all that ordinary stuff. I wakened yesterday morning simply, I felt so unhealthy. It was similar to yesterday was form of like that peak day of the illness the place it’s, like, the worst.
I nonetheless don’t really feel nice, however right this moment, the place I used to be at yesterday, like, I’m so much higher right this moment, for positive.”
On a sticky night time, a gritty Fritz avenged his Miami Open loss to Mensik in March to maintain American hopes of advancing to the Davis Cup Last 8 in Bologna, Italy alive.
“It’s an enormous, large increase. Getting in once I wakened this morning, I didn’t know if Taylor could be accessible to his staff, and clearly I used to be excited to listen to the information that he was turning the nook together with his illness and he was going to have the ability to go on the market and compete,” U.S. captain Bob Bryan mentioned. “So, look, a 1-1 is an efficient spot for this staff.
“You realize, we’ve acquired two skilled gamers enjoying doubles tomorrow. Hopefully get us into that lead, after which we are able to shut the door. However 1-1, sleeping on that feels good.”
Motion begins Saturday with the all-important doubles rubber, as former world No. 1s Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram are scheduled to take the court docket for the People in opposition to the Czech staff of Adam Pavlasek and Tomas Machac. Captains could make substitutions to Saturday’s lineups as much as one hour previous to match time for the doubles and as much as quarter-hour after the earlier match for the singles.
Play begins at 2 p.m. E.T. on Saturday with the reverse singles matches scheduled to observe doubles, if needed. The primary staff to win three matches will advance to the eight-nation Davis Cup Last 8 that may crown this yr’s Davis Cup champion in November in Bologna, Italy.
USA vs. Czechia Match Schedule
Day 1 Outcomes
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)
