The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has announced its roster for the Davis Cup group stage matches, which will take place next week in Zhuhai, China. Notably absent from the lineup are US Open finalists Taylor Fritz and semifinalist Frances Tiafoe. Instead, the USTA has selected Brandon Nakashima, Mackie McDonald, Reilly Opelka, Austin Krajicek, and Rajeev Ram to represent the country.
The Americans are grouped with Chile, Germany, and Slovakia in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the Davis Cup Finals, scheduled for November 19-24 in Malaga, Spain.
Fritz and Tiafoe’s absence is surprising given their recent success at the US Open. Fritz, who defeated Tiafoe in a thrilling five-set semifinal, will face No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy in the men’s singles final on Sunday. Interestingly, Sinner is also not included on Italy’s Davis Cup roster for the group stage.
This decision by the USTA to field a different team for the Davis Cup group stage may be influenced by various factors, including player availability, injury concerns, and potential scheduling conflicts. It remains to be seen how the chosen players will perform in China, but the absence of Fritz and Tiafoe will undoubtedly be a talking point as the competition unfolds.
