As the US prepares to take on the Czech Republic in a highly anticipated Davis Cup tie, the North American side’s top-ranked star, Taylor Fritz, was absent from the press conference held ahead of the event. US Davis Cup captain Bob Bryan has disclosed why the World No. 5 decided to skip the event and spoken about whether he would be part of the American side.
Why Taylor Fritz Was Missing From the US Team’s Press Conference Ahead of Davis Cup
Bryan confirmed on Friday that world No. 5 Taylor Fritz skipped the team’s press conference as he battles illness but remains committed to taking the court in tomorrow’s tie.
“Yeah. Obviously, you guys see we’re missing one guy here today,” Bryan said. “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.”
Pressed on Fritz’s status, Bryan reassured reporters that the American No. 1 is still present with the team. “Yeah, he’s here. He’s here. Just resting,” he said.
Bryan added that Fritz has no intention of pulling out. “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.”
The Davis Cup tie will be Fritz’s first match since his loss to 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinal of the US Open. The defeat marked the top-ranked American’s 11th consecutive loss to the Serb.
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The US will be lacking some serious firepower heading into the tie, as two major American tennis stars have pulled out due to injury concerns.
These Two US Tennis Stars Will Not Be Competing at the Davis Cup Due to Injury
Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul, two of the biggest names in American tennis, have decided not to participate in the Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic.
Shelton’s injury setback occurred at the US Open in his third-round encounter against Adrian Mannarino. After injuring his shoulder, the lefty was forced to retire midway with the match tied at two sets apiece. Before the tournament, Shelton was tipped to do severe damage as he was fresh off his first Masters 1000 triumph at the Canadian Open.
Read More: How Taylor Fritz Shaped His Work Ethic After Having Son Jordan at 19 With Former Wife Raquel Pedraza
Notably, it was the first time in 178 career professional matches that Shelton had to stop play. On the other hand, Paul has been troubled by injuries throughout the 2025 tennis season.
After sustaining an abdominal ailment that derailed his Roland Garros run in the quarterfinals, the American suffered a foot injury at Wimbledon that put him out of action for several weeks. He also struggled physically during his loss to Alexander Bublik in the third round of the US Open.
The duo has also withdrawn from another showpiece team event, the Laver Cup.
