DAVIS CUP QULIFIERS 2ND ROUND: CZECHIA vs USA

September 13, 2025

Tomas Berdych

Jakub Mensik

Team Czechia

Press Conference

T. FRITZ/J. Mensik

6-4, 6-3

Team Czechia - 1

Team USA - 1

THE MODERATOR: Tomas, just kind of take us through your thoughts after the first night of action.

CAPTAIN TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, first night of action, luckily we had the time to finish it, which is great. After the week, we had a chance to play in the evening finally, so that's good. That's the first positive thing to start with.

And then there is another positive thing, that Jiri played absolutely incredible match, which is another one, so he brings the first points to the locker room, which is great.

Then unfortunately, I mean, Jakub was not able to deliver the point, same as Jiri. I mean, obviously he had a much tougher opponent, that's for sure. He made couple of mistakes, especially in the beginning, and then with the combination of very tough opponent, which Taylor is, then, you know, it's like a little bit like a snowball, which there are not big things that makes the difference, but this high level of tennis, which in the end, will end up it was just like two straight sets for the States.

Anyway, overall, I mean, it's 1-All after Friday, which I think it's very acceptable for us. Yeah, we still have it quite open for tomorrow, which is good. We are in a good chance that no matter how the first doubles goes tomorrow, we still have a chance at Jiri, who plays really well, we'll get back on par.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Tomas, you have to be thrilled with the way Jiri Lehecka played lights-out tennis. Didn't go quite as well with Jakub Mensik. As you look at tonight heading into tomorrow, what are your overall thoughts about tonight and your prospects for the tie going into tomorrow?

CAPTAIN TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, lots of ideas in my mind, to be honest. Lots of thinking. Lots of deciding for decisions to be made for tomorrow.

Yeah, that's why I'm here. It's why I'm bringing all the experience. We'll try to figure it out what's the best option, how to build it up for tomorrow.

But, yeah, I mean, you summarized it well. Jiri played well. Jakub didn't follow up on that, but that's tennis. That's all right.

Yeah, the situation is quite all right for us, and we still have pretty good chance for tomorrow.

Q. What do you think has to happen, like how do you think the doubles team and Jiri and Jakub have to play tomorrow, what they need to fix in order to make it to the Final 8?

CAPTAIN TOMAS BERDYCH: We need some more points. That's it. We have three chances. Same as Americans (smiling).

Sorry to be that simple, but at the end, it is that simple. I mean, it is tennis, it is a battle between two guys or four guys in the doubles. There will be always a winner after each match, which is very good. That's what I love about this sport.

That's exactly how it is, and the two teams are fighting for it. So I can guarantee you that we will do our best to try to win those two, and that's it.

Q. You said you had a lot to think about with adjustments. Is doubles one of the things, or singles or...

CAPTAIN TOMAS BERDYCH: Everything. If it would be only doubles, then it would be half decision. That's what's the options in my teams are bringing. So I just have to pick the right one and see if that's going to work.

Q. Obviously you're on U.S. soil, but you had pretty strong amount of Czech support in the crowd tonight. What's that feel like having all those people behind your bench with the Czech flags?

CAPTAIN TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, it's great. It's definitely great, because as I said, when we play at home, our fifth teammate is the crowd. It's always helping us a lot, and the atmosphere that they are able to produce for our team is always absolutely incredible. It helps us super much.

So, you know, we are far from home, and we still have a nice support. Yeah, Jiri gave them a pretty good reason to cheer, to enjoy it, and it was great. So I think it was a good day at the office.

Q. Tomas, you had a legendary career as a player, incredible Davis Cup success. You're watching a player like Jakub who is an incredible player not quite getting it done. What are some of the things you draw upon to try and change the outcome or try to change maybe him mentally or physically? Can we talk about some of the coaching strategies you try to employ in the situation?

CAPTAIN TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, it's a bit of opening the doors from our kitchen, so I'm not sure if that's really the case that I can, you know... because I don't really open up a lot about this, because it's something that maybe it's a little bit more common these days in tennis, you know, that everybody is trying to share everything and be so close to everyone.

You know, I mean, I get it, but it's still, you know, with all the respect to everyone, tennis is still a very individual sport. I think that's how it should stay and how it should be.

But, I mean, of course there are a couple of things, but as you know, the tennis match is very fast, like a train ride, and once you miss it, it's very difficult to hold one back and just get back to it.

But I think we were just, you know -- I mean, obviously not successful enough, because Jakub was not able to turn around and come back, but, you know, with the future prospect and what the weekend looks like and possibly, yeah, playing tomorrow and stuff like that, so it was important to, you know, try to get him back into the match, try to get him feeling better and get him back in confidence.

Yeah, those kind of things you have to try to dig back how you were feeling on court in those moments. And if there was something that was working on me, I can maybe apply to him because we are all different, so you cannot really do it with what will work to me will work for everyone. It's a bit of knowing how he is and et cetera, et cetera.

THE MODERATOR: Jakub, can we start off with your thoughts on the match tonight?

JAKUB MENSIK: Yeah. Hi, everyone. Yeah, obviously a tough one today. Yeah, there is, like, basically nothing special that I would say about Taylor. Great guy, great competitor. Today he showed good performance.

Obviously me on my side, yeah, I could do few things better in the match, for sure, but it's like always, you know. Still, you know, there were some few important things that, you know, if I would do it better, you know, maybe I'm not saying that I would win, but yeah, the turnaround maybe it will be much more closer. But oh, well.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Jakub, we watched you beat Novak Djokovic at the Miami Open, probably the biggest win of your career. You're a tremendous player. Didn't quite go your way tonight, but you may be facing your biggest match coming up against potentially Frances Tiafoe. What are the positives you can take away from tonight heading into the rest of the tie?

JAKUB MENSIK: Yeah, I mean, absolutely of course it was good experience today. Yeah, I didn't have that much opportunities to play under the lights, which the court circumstances a little bit different. But yeah, I mean, of course, like I said, there were plenty of good things in that match.

I was hitting good from the baseline, which of course it's good thing when the conditions are much more slower here, so yeah, obviously tomorrow, it's another day. I will take positives from the match, and of course try to show it more.

Also, like Tomas said, it's 1-All, so obviously I'm kind of sad I didn't bring the second point, but yeah, I mean, overall, it can be always worse.

Q. How are you feeling about if the teams split tomorrow potentially being in the clinch position, having to pull out the win in order to make it to the Final 8?

JAKUB MENSIK: Well, obviously tomorrow it's deciding day, so yeah, potentially we will speak with the captain or with the team potentially who is going to play what tomorrow.

Yeah, after press and everything, we're going to talk about it, for sure. Yeah, I mean, there are a lot of, like, I mean, options that we could come out on the court with tomorrow.

So, I mean, we will try to, you know, do our best to, you know, show up and to do our best on the court and to show the best performance what is in us to qualify for the Final 8. That's why we are here, and we will try our best.

Q. If it is you in the fifth match, how do you handle that pressure?

JAKUB MENSIK: Well, obviously right now, you know, the situation, we are not still there. But, you know, that's how it works in Davis Cup, so potentially of course the situation can be there.

But yeah, of course for me it's going to be something new. But, I mean, today of course, or overall the Davis Cup is a team competition, so yeah, it's much more different than to play by myself.

Yeah, today of course it was little, like, I started a little bit nervous, but then during the match, I was feeling okay mental-wise. So, yeah, I will try to just focus on myself like I did today, and like I said before, try to take those positive things to do it much more better tomorrow.

Q. Jakub, you seem to have a very close team. You watched Lehecka have a big win tonight. How important is it to be real close with the other guys on the team and knowing you have the unqualified support from your coach and from your teammates?

JAKUB MENSIK: Yeah, it's way important, obviously. Obviously that's why it's team competition. Yeah, it's great, you know, that we have, like, good relationships, you know. Of course, you know, in the team there is a good vibe, so Jiri did very well today, so everyone is grateful for that point.

Yeah, of course right now today, tomorrow, of course we gonna speak about it to try to give each other some opinions on that, so of course it's important. You know, that's why it's team competition.