A second-tier United States team sustained their Davis Cup winning streak by overwhelming Germany to secure the top spot in Group C in Zhuhai on Saturday, after both nations confirmed their places in the quarter-finals of the leading men’s team competition.
The 32-time champions were without prominent players such as U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe for their group stage matches this week. Nevertheless, they demonstrated ample strength to defeat Germany and achieve their third consecutive victory.
Brandon Nakashima clinched an unassailable 2-0 lead for the Americans by comfortably overcoming Maximilian Marterer 6-4 6-2 in the day’s second singles match, maintaining a flawless record in his debut Davis Cup campaign.
“It’s been incredible this entire week. Being part of this team is truly special,” said Nakashima. “Representing my country has always been a dream since I began playing tennis, so I am extremely happy to have secured three wins for the team.”
World number 309 Reilly Opelka, who has returned to the circuit this season following hip and wrist surgeries, saved three match points and relied on his powerful serve when it was most critical to outlast debutant Henri Squire 6-7(4) 7-6(9) 6-3 earlier.
Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz triumphed over Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek with a score of 6-1, 7-6(4) in their doubles encounter. However, U.S. captain Bob Bryan expressed his contentment with the week’s performance, which showcased the team’s depth in singles play. “We’ve got a wealth of talented players in the U.S. right now, evident from the rankings. There are numerous options for us to choose from for the Finals,” Bryan stated. “Kudos to these guys for coming here and securing our spot in Malaga. We have a few months to relax and prepare, but it’s going to be an exciting time over there. We’re eagerly anticipating it.”
The top two nations from each of the four groups located in different cities will advance to the Final 8 knockout stage, scheduled to take place in Malaga in November. Alongside the United States and Germany, heavyweights Spain and Australia also secured their spots after Friday’s matches. They were joined by defending champions Italy, who progressed after Brazil took a 2-0 lead against Belgium in Bologna, with Joao Fonseca defeating Raphael Collignon 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3, and Thiago Monteiro edging out Zizou Bergs 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-5.
Belgium kept their hopes alive of progressing from Group A as Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen clinched a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Rafael Matos and Felipe Meligeni Alves.
Argentina secured their first quarter-final berth since 2019 with a decisive 3-0 victory over Finland in Group D, held in Manchester. Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni triumphed over Harri Heliovaara and Patrick Kaukovalta with a scoreline of 6-3(7) 6-4 6-3.
Earlier in the event, Tomas Martin Etcheverry defeated Eero Vasa 7-6(5) 6-3, while Francisco Cerundolo overcame Otto Virtanen 6-7(4) 6-1 6-0.
In Group B, the Czech Republic and France were engaged in a tightly contested battle. However, neither team remained in contention after suffering defeats in both of their matches in Valencia.
