Shelton slump: USA dumped out of Davis Cup as recent Flushing Meadows finalist loses again
ATPSaturday, 19 September 2026 at 23:08
Czech Republic are into the final eight of this year's Davis Cup as Ben Shelton and Learner Tien both lost their singles matches on Saturday at this year's tournament in the qualifiers for the Finals later on this year.
Jakub Mensik beat Ben Shelton 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to level the best of five at 2-2 before Jiri Lehecka sent a roaring Prague crowd onto their feet in adulation as he beat Tien who in reality was the US star yesterday as he won through his opener against Mensik against the backdrop of the crowd inside the arena in Prague of course finding a way to try and support their team.
But Shelton was perhaps the biggest surprise as it was a second straight loss for Shelton, a day after he was beaten by Lehecka. American pair Christian Harrison and Austin Krajicek had hoisted the US into the lead making it 2-1 after winning their doubles match over Adam Pavlasek and Patrick Riki 5-7, 6-3, 7-6.
"The wins in Davis Cup are always a little bit different because this is a team competition," said Lehecka after winning.
"For me, as an individual, these two wins are super-important. I fought through tough moments but Davis Cup needs teamwork. I would not be able to play the last match if the rest of the work didn't work the way they worked.
Czechia produce the goods
"I must say it has been a great week. But, most importantly, we made it through as a team. Without Jakub [Mensik] winning against Ben [Shelton], I would not have the chance to play the final match.
"It is a team competition and this was a team effort, and that is more important than me being called a national hero."
It was a tie that showed the real best of the Czech people as they rallied to support their nation. As well as considerable success in the Billie Jean King Cup, it also witnessed Czechia's second of three Davis Cup titles in 2012 when current captain Tomas Berdych starred.
Berdych spoke about trying to recapture that in the modern day and the leading duo did so. This also being added to the Billie Jean King Cup team next week featuring Noskova, Muchova, Bejlek, Bouzkova and Siniakova as perhaps the strongest team, it is a great time for Czech tennis.
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Mensik's heroics made sure they went the distance and it was Lehecka who put the icing on the cake. An absolute classic for the crowd and also those watching from a far and Shelton's gamble to play straight after the US Open did not pay off.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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