Mega-champions USA and Australia lose bids for Davis finals

Czechia accounted for the US 3-2 to book a place in the autumn Davis Cup finals, with Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe going down to defeat in reverse singles.

The tie in Delray Beach, Florida, had drawn complaints from Czech captain Tomas Berdych who questioned the wisdom of staging the event in the middle of hurricane season in a coastal town.

But with weather cooperating, the visitor got down to business as they knocked out the 32-times titlewinners to advance to the eight-nation final in Bologna, Italy, in November.

The 17th-ranked newcomer Jakob Mensik drove the nail in the coffin with a 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Tiafoe to end the weekend after teammate Jiri Lehecka beat US No. 1 Fritz 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

World No. 5 Fritz blamed a quick turnaround from last week’s US Open, where he lost a quarter- final to Novak Djokovic after playing the 2024 final.

“I did what I could do, he’s playing really well, and the conditions are pretty (slow and brutal) Fritz said.

“I wanted to be in the absolute best physical condition, and unfortunately that was not the case.”

Fritz added: “I had to take days off (after New York), due to injury and slight illness)

“I was just not as prepared as I should be for either one of these (two singles losses). I fought as hard as I could today, I think I still had chances to beat a very in-form player.”

In Sydney, Belgium’s Raphael Collignon finished with a crafty drop shot winner to ice a 3-2 defeat of Australia with a 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3 scoreline over Aleksander Vukic.

The No. 91 completed the best weekend of his life after defeating ATP No, 8 Alex de Minaur in opening singles.

The Aussie came into the deciding day of the reduced-format two-day tie trailing 0-2 afger Saturday singles setbacks.

But Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson gave home fans some hopes with a comback form a set down to score the first Aussie point against the Europeans by beating Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-4.

De Minaur made up for his opening loss as he stopped Zizou Bergs 6-2, 7-5 for a 2-2 deadlock.

“It was amazing to see the fire, the desire, the passion,” the national No. 1 said of the last-gasp doubles win. “That’s what this thing’s all about.”

Australia was unable to duplicate previous fightbacks from 0-2 down achieved in 1939 and 2015.

Main photo:- Jakob Mensik beating Taylor Fritz – by ITF