DAVIS CUP QULIFIERS 2ND ROUND: CZECHIA vs USA

September 13, 2025

Bob Bryan

Team USA

Press Conference

J. MENSIK/F. Tiafoe

6-1, 6-4

Team Czechia - 3

Team USA - 2

THE MODERATOR: We will open it up, first one for you. Tell us about playing on your home soil for the guys. Tough loss.

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Yeah, it was definitely nice to be here on home soil and playing in front of the home fans. There is nothing like a home-and-away in Davis Cup. It's cool for this community to feel that Davis Cup energy and what it can be. This event has a lot of history and we all love it, and I think the fans really enjoyed their couple days here.

Obviously would have been better had we got it done, but still a lot of inspiring performances out of this team. You know, Taylor Fritz, who wasn't able to practice all week and was in bed with a sickness, came out and played two great matches. Dug deep. Had a huge win for us on day one, and really proud of the way he competed. You know, not feeling his best, but he played some spectacular tennis and just ran up against a little bit tougher opponent today.

And our doubles guys, Rajeev and Austin, delivered one of the most epic matches I have been on the bench for. You know, high-level tennis for three hours. You know, ups and downs, momentum shifts. You know, they came up with the goods. They raised their level and had the crowd on their feet, which is all you can ask for. So I was very honored to be out there with them during that moment.

You know, hats off to the Czech team. Tomas Berdych came in here and prepared his team well. It's a tough team on paper, and they played, you know, like they can. They hit big serves on the breakpoints, on the big points, and, you know, they deserved to win. They'll be dangerous in Bologna, and that's a team that can win the tournament.

You know, hats off to them.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Bob, obviously not the result you wanted, but what are you taking away from this both in a positive way?

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Yeah, like I said, there was a lot, even though, you know, the team didn't get it done and we lost this tie, there were still so many inspiring moments during this week. You know, starting with our staff who gives us everything they have every day, and we have the best in the business in every category, whether massage, stringing, physios, coaching staff. We have a hell of a team. I would love to play with those guys next year.

Reilly Opelka, who didn't play a match here, but, you know, he's been practicing here since Saturday. Every day he was out there doing everything we needed of him, cheering on the sidelines, bringing the energy in the locker room.

You know, everything that Reilly brought, you don't see it, because he wasn't in the win-and-loss column, but he adds a lot to this team. It was great to have Jay Berger make a guest appearance. He's been -- I think he did 13 years with the Davis Cup team, so it's nice to have him back.

David Macpherson, who was our coach on tour for 15 years, was here. Mark Bey, genius tennis mind from Chicago, great buddy, helped us many years on tour, was here. My brother did an amazing job, as always.

It was, you know, you don't see all these little things, but, you know, it makes the week a lot more fun. Even though we didn't win, I'll still leave here with great memories.

Q. Raj and Austin, we asked them a little bit about how great it was to be coached by two doubles legends and Macca, and they said, you know, it was great. Then Taylor, from the singles standpoint, said it felt great, made me feel great. Your takeaway, you as your captain, brother as assistant captain, what are your takeaways about the chemistry and the effort you got out of these guys?

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Yeah, we do have great chemistry. Ben Shelton, driving down from Orlando, he didn't know if it was going to rain or not, but he just came to support the team. You know, that gave everyone a boost.

You know, and then Tommy Paul, fresh off a surgery, here in the crowd, supporting the guys. That just shows the guys, brotherhood we have working here.

Look, we love Davis Cup weeks, our staff loves them, we had a lot of fun. Like I said, we're not crying over this loss. We just tip our hat to a better team over the last two days.

But, you know, there is stuff, we can make tweaks. We had a couple injuries right before the tie, but there is no excuses. We went out there, and everyone sweated their butt off. No one gave up. That's all you can ask for as a coach.

Q. Frances, what do you say to him?

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Look, our doubles guys kept Mensik on court for a few hours in the heat. That was a physical doubles match. I don't care if it's doubles or singles, that was a lot of time to be out there.

Just kept telling Frances, Hey, the guy's playing well. Let's just keep him on the court and see if we can wear him down, keep making the match physical. You never know what's going to happen.

Frances sunk his teeth into the match in the second set, and, you know, and some of those points were starting to go our way. You could see Mensik, he was laboring, and he came up with the goods when he needed it.

Q. Bob, was there a moment from this past week, whether it was what you saw on or off the court of your team, that crystallized the fun or the energy of Davis Cup that makes it so special?

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Yeah, look, I just think walking off the court yesterday after Taylor's win and just seeing, you know, Ben, Reilly, Taylor, Foe, just seeing them all together, those are kids that grew up together here in Boca, you know, playing at Evert. They have been friends since they were 12 years old. They have played on junior Davis Cup teams, traveled to ITF Grand Slams, played against each other on the tour, and here they are walking shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. Davis Cup team.

That was just a special moment just to see those guys smiling, laughing together, and, you know, those guys are friends for life. I'm happy to just see their chemistry and what they will do for each other.

Q. As a Hall of Famer, you have had some of the highest highs you could have, but with that, there are losses. How do you help the team deal with losses, including Frances Tiafoe, who may play a pivotal part down the road for Davis Cup? How do you help them process it and build off it and get better from it, based on your experience?

CAPTAIN BOB BRYAN: Yeah, look, if you prepare the right way and you compete and you give it everything you've got on the court, there is no regrets. It's what I learned during my career. You do everything you can to prepare for a match, prepare for a tie, and then you can sleep at night.

So that's what we just try to tell the guys. Look, you can live with a loss if you did everything you can. You know, if there's stuff you could have done, then, you know, that's something you've got to live with.

That's all I can say as far as me imparting some experience on the guys. It's just the work and being professional, and, you know, just going about your business that way.