After Sebastian Korda and Davis Cup debutant Christopher Eubanks had both won their singles matches, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram clinched the tie for Bob Bryan’s team – underscoring how lower-ranked players can help lift up their nations through higher performance.
Canada sans top-ranked players Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov successfully navigated its opening matches without either player to take an early 2-0 lead over Slovakia in this tie, while Germany trails Hungary; Switzerland faces Portugal; and Brazil takes on Sweden. This competition concludes Saturday.
Taylor Fritz
American tennis player Kevin Anderson is known for his powerful backhand and big serving style. As a junior star he reached at least the quarterfinals in all four majors and earned himself a career-high ranking of No 5.
Though new to this level of tennis, 24-year-old Agustn Sousa has shown his mettle against top players when necessary. His doubles game is impressive while he is also widely known for his on-court charisma.
Fritz can be seen regularly on the popular Netflix series “The Hotshots,” which follows young, up-and-coming ATP Tour players like himself and gives viewers a glimpse into what life can be like as an professional tennis player (tears after defeat, rigorous workouts, hotel room service meals and endless flights). Season two filming for “The Hotshots” has already started and Fritz should join Sebastian Korda, Austin Krajicek, Rajeev Ram and Christopher Eubanks (who’s making his Davis Cup debut).
Sebastian Korda
Sebastian Korda battled back from two sets down to defeat Oleksii Krutykh and give the U.S. an early advantage against Ukraine on Day One of their Davis Cup Qualifiers tie in Vilnius, Lithuania. Korda won his first Davis Cup match since reaching the Australian Open quarter-final last January; saving six break points while scoring 15 winners off his powerful baseline wing he prevailed three sets to none!
Christopher Eubanks made his Davis Cup debut and came away victorious for Team USA. Substituting for top-ranked Taylor Fritz due to a hip injury, Christopher bested world No. 498 Viacheslav Bielinskyi with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram secured the United States a place in the 2024 Davis Cup Finals group stage by defeating Illya Beloborodko/Olexii Krutykh 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 – in a match closer than its score suggests and demonstrating how rankings do not matter in this competition.
Chris Eubanks
Chris Eubanks made headlines last summer as an impressive climber of the rankings and first ATP title winner who stunned eventual Wimbledon champion Stefanos Tsitsipas during a five-set quarterfinal loss. He even made waves at US Open.
Now, after his season was cut short by shoulder injury, he’s back at the fringe of rankings trying to prove that last summer wasn’t just an isolated incident.
Eubanks played his part to secure America a return to the Davis Cup Finals by defeating Oleksii Krutykh and Illya Beloborodko of Ukraine with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 doubles win on Friday in Vilnius, Lithuania. As Taylor Fritz was forced out with right hip injury, Eubanks stood his own against their formidable duo; Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram will finish off this tie against Ukraine tomorrow.
Austin Krajicek & Rajeev Ram
On Saturday, the Americans will attempt to claim their 32nd Davis Cup championship when they face Finland at Vilnius’ SEB Arena on an indoor hard court court match. Finland are looking forward to returning to the final stage for a second successive year and hope they make it this time around as well.
On Thursday, captain Bob Bryan’s side took an important step towards victory as Sebastian Korda and Davis Cup debutant Christopher Eubanks each earned singles victories against Oleksii Krutykh 6-3 6-7(3) 6-4 while Eubanks, filling in for injured Fritz, overpowered 498th-ranked Viacheslav Bielinskyi 6-3 6-2.
Ram and Krajicek earned an insurmountable 3-0 lead for America in their best-of-five match series against Australia, saving 18 break points between them while outstripping Vladyslav Orlov 6-3 6-4 to complete an unstoppable American comeback and clinch qualification tie victory 4-0 over Vladyslav Orlov – as did Italy, Australia, Britain and Spain, who all also secured spots in September’s Group Stage Finals.
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