DAVIS CUP QULIFIERS 2ND ROUND: CZECHIA vs USA

September 11, 2025

Bob Bryan

Austin Krajicek

Reilly Opelka

Rajeev Ram

Frances Tiafoe

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Bob, you want to kick us off here?

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Yeah. Obviously you guys see we're missing one guy here today. Taylor Fritz is feeling a little under the weather. He's not feeling great today, but, you know, he's committed to playing tomorrow. He just needs some rest, so he is not joining us here at the table today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Taylor, is he here?

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Yeah, he's here. He's here. Just resting.

Q. So what does...

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: He wants to play, he wants to be on the draw. You know, you have to get a doctor's notice and all this stuff, a letter, to be removed from the draw, so he's confident he's going to be playing tomorrow. He just wants to get full recovery, you know, give 100% for the match.

Q. Bob, you talked a little bit yesterday about how you're feeling good about the fact that Reilly and Frances and Taylor had success here. Are you still feeling strong about them today? I don't know why anything would change, but...

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Of course. The guys are comfortable here in Delray Beach. A lot of our guys live here in this town. They practice here, and they have all won this tournament once, some more than once.

These are conditions that are favorable to this team, and we're happy being around each other. We're having great practices. Just happy to have a home tie, as well. It's been a while since we had a tie on home soil.

Looking forward to playing in front of the home fans.

Q. Frances, after watching the US Open, you sounded very, very down. Sounded like you weren't sure of your future this week. How has it been since then and what's your mindset?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, obviously the Open wasn't what I had hoped, for sure. But I'm here now. I'm here at Davis Cup, here with guys I really enjoy being around.

I love being in this area. I live in this area. I'm just trying to move past that. It is what it is.

I'm happy to be here and happy to be with these guys and play for Bob. Try to get some wins for us and get us to where we're trying to go.

Q. How do you feel about your first opponent starting off?

FRANCES TIAFOE: Yeah, it's a good team, good team. Everyone is good. Everyone is good. Good players. Young guys. It's going to be it.

Last time I played him, I had a crazy match with him, so excited to hopefully do it again and have the same result as last time.

Q. (Question about being 5-0.)

FRANCES TIAFOE: When you say it like that, we might as well make it 6-0, right? Again, look, all these guys are happy to be here. We're here for a reason. We believe in taking care of business out here. Then just keep pushing.

Obviously it's always nice to play in the States. We don't get to play in the States that often, so we don't take that for granted. Going to be excited to play with the fans, have them behind us. Familiar faces in the crowd. Everyone will do their thing and will be behind everybody.

Q. Can you guys talk about why Davis Cup is so special?

RAJEEV RAM: I mean, for me, I grew up watching this competition. I watched these guys play and the generations before them.

Playing for your country is something that I don't think can really be described as to how important it is. We get to play it for individuals, for ourselves, all year, but then when we get to play for our team, for our nation, for our captain, it's a whole different feeling.

It's one that, for me, it's probably the most special thing in tennis. If I ever get asked, I'm never going to say no for a Davis Cup tie.

Q. I want to go back Rajeev and Austin for just a minute. Bob talked about how happy he was that you guys stepped up to the plate when asked. You guys are a great doubles team, big part of this path. How are you guys feeling heading into the weekend?

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Yeah, we feel great. Echoing what Raj said, Davis Cup for me is probably the most important event I've played in my career. I was here in 2004 watching Bob and Mike when they beat Sweden. So to be back here at a home tie is amazing.

Yeah, any time it's asked, we will be here and ready. I think Raj and I are playing great. We have had great practice all week. We're going to leave everything out there, and I feel like we're in a great place.

Q. Austin, Davis Cup tie, home soil. How are you feeling about that?

AUSTIN KRAJICEK: Yeah, it's incredible. We have played in a lot of crazy places the last couple of years, to say the least, but it's an honor to be part of the U.S. team.

Any time I have a flag on my shirt, it's a different feeling, 100%. To be back here where I also came and watched as a kid, I grew up in Florida, not too far from Tampa, so to come back here to this site that we watched, it's really special.

Yeah, like Frances said, we're not taking it for granted. We don't get to play at home very often, so we're extremely excited to be here in Delray.

Q. Reilly, Bob also talked about how happy he was that you stepped up to the plate. How do you feel about being here? How fired up are you to be back in Delray?

REILLY OPELKA: I'm excited. It's a no-brainer when Bob calls. It's really special playing for Bob. Bob and Mike, we grew up watching them. We went to Austin, Texas, all of us, and watched them play against Spain, and Brazil in Jacksonville.

They were the most irritating part of the tie. Just no way you can ever say no to the Bryan Brothers in any regard. Yeah, really special to be part of the team and really grateful to be here. Especially alongside Austin and Raj and Fritz and Foe, it's incredible.

Q. Reilly, were you in Florida -- I know you had a horrible draw at US Open. Were you in Florida when you got the call?

REILLY OPELKA: Yeah.

Q. (Question about Carlos and the US Open final.)

REILLY OPELKA: You're not going to miss a Sinner-Alcaraz final. It's kind of a Fed-Nadal situation.

I watched that one, and yeah, obviously I followed it. It was impressive.