If we take a look back, the home-court advantage has always played a decisive role in determining the outcomes of multiple blockbuster matchups in the 125-year-old history of the Davis Cup. So, before the start of the Davis Cup tie between Team USA and the Czech Republic, both the captains were spotted sharing a similar thought. Two-time champion Tomas Berdych spoke about not-so-easy conditions at the Delray Tennis Center, while Bob Bryan called it the “toughest of all the ties around the world.” In the first match, home favorite Frances Tiafoe took on in-form Jiří Lehečka…

The Czech had a 0-2 record against Tiafoe before this match. So, during a pre-match interview, Lehečka said, “I hope the time has come for a rematch. The matches with him have always been close. The last time I played with him was last year, when I was coming back from a serious injury. It was the third match after a break, and even then, I lost narrowly in the tie-break of the third set. It was close. This year I am a slightly different player than last year, but we will see. This is Davis Cup. We know that the differences are generally erased, and the matches look a little different.”

This time it took Jiří Lehečka just 1 hour and 18 minutes to beat Frances Tiafoe by 6-3, 6-2 in this opening singles match. Everyone thought Tiafoe, who had previously won the Delray Beach Open, should get an edge since he’s now quite familiar with these courts and also the conditions. But Lehečka had other plans! With this result, Lehečka has not only given Czechia a 1-0 lead against Team USA, but it also marked Tiafoe’s sixth loss in seven Davis Cup rubbers spanning five appearances dating back to his 2018 debut. What are the main reasons behind Frances Tiafoe’s shocking defeat?

1. Jiří Lehečka’s baseline power and consistency

Both these players fought off early pressure moments, with Frances Tiafoe erasing a pair of break points in his first service game and then Jiří Lehečka holding from deuce in consecutive trips to the line. Although Tiafoe gave a fight in the first set, he looked pretty ordinary in the second. Consistent ball-striking enabled Lehecka to put together a five-game run that carried over into the early stages of the second set.

One of the biggest weapons Jiří deployed was his ability to hit heavy, penetrating balls from the baseline, both forehand and backhand, with a low error count. Right from the start of this match, the Czech applied pressure, dictating points rather than reacting. Big Foe struggled to keep pace with the powerful strikes coming across the net. Hence, Jiří Lehečka’s steadier depth and cleaner ball striking played a crucial role in leaving the American a bit clueless in this epic duel.

2.  Frances Tiafoe’s inability to create break opportunities and unforced errors

Jiří Lehečka, in contrast, was able to break Tiafoe multiple times—Tiafoe never really managed to create a break point in the entire match despite being the crowd favorite and playing at home.

On top of that, his errors came at the wrong moments in this match. For example, in the first set, at 3-4, 40-40 these two engaged in an extended rally that ended with a set-changing misjudgment from Frances Tiafoe.

He assumed that Lehečka’s forehand up the line was sailing long, but it just kissed the line. There were plenty of mistakes from the American in this match, and these kinds of errors under the enormous pressure are what I feel cost the match for Tiafoe. When the opponent is hitting cleanly, any lapse gets punished.

3.  Momentum, confidence, and recent form

Jiří Lehečka has been in better form this season. He started his season with a title triumph in Brisbane, and after that, he made it to the SF in Doha before reaching the final at the HSBC Championships, where he lost to the current world number one, Carlos Alcaraz, by 7–5, 6–7(5), 6–2. Although he reached the QF of the 2025 US Open as well, his journey yet again came to an end at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz.

These long runs have only helped him earn a career-high ranking of number 16, but they have also helped him build some confidence. He looked quite confident in his match against the home favorite, Tiafoe.

Meanwhile, Frances Tiafoe has struggled to find some consistency this season. He has a win-loss record of just 26-19, and he’s yet to win a title this season. His best record this season was reaching the final in Houston. Although he reached the QF at the French Open and the Citi Open, Tiafoe failed to deliver when it mattered the most, and hence, he came back home empty-handed. In the 2025 US Open, he got knocked out by Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff by 4-6, 3-6, 6(7)-7.

Now, coming back to this Davis Cup match in particular, while Tiafoe remains a formidable and experienced player, this match showed how a combination of Lehečka’s form, tactical steadiness, and aggressive, consistent baseline play can expose vulnerabilities—especially when a player like Tiafoe can’t convert break chances or control the momentum.

Following this incredible win, Jiří Lehečka said, “Every Davis Cup win is something special for me. These matches are something different from what we are living on tour.”

Thankfully, for Team USA, Taylor Fritz has now secured a 6-4, 6-3 win against Jakub Mensik to level it at 1-1 in the tie against Czechia. So, game on!

Another American star, Ben Shelton, who was forced to sit out due to a shoulder injury, was spotted cheering for his team from the stands. 

The winner of this round will move into the Final 8 in Bologna, Italy. Can Team USA clinch their first Davis Cup title since 2007?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta