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Reilly Opelka

Taylor Townsend, Serve Bot? Reaches the Third Round with Stunning Serve Performance

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 02: Taylor Townsend waves before a Women’s Singles match on Day Four of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Jeff Dean/USTA via Getty Images)

(September 2, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Taylor Townsend, serve bot? Townsend won 100% of her first-serve points in defeating world No. 100 Australian Taylah Preston, a wild card, 6-1, 6-1, in 48 minutes in the second round of the US Open on Wednesday on Court 17.

Serve precision and effectiveness played a major role in this match. During the match, Townsend landed 72% of her first serves and 90% of her second serves, winning 100% of points on her first serve and 56% on her second. She hit 8 aces and was 7/8 in net points won.

During her news conference, Townsend, ranked No. 96 in singles and No. 2 in doubles, was ecstatic about her serving performance.

“I don’t know. I think they called this a serve bot?.” “I’m a serve bot now? Maybe? Who came up with that, Riley (Opelka)? I need to ask him,” she said jokingly.

“I’ve never had a serving day like that. But I know that I have one of the best servers in the world. You know, I’m able to hit all of the spots and hit a lot of different serves the way that I want to. And so, today was just one of those days where everything was clicking and, you know, I’m gonna take it in and enjoy it, but it’s also one of the things that it’s like, okay, you know, you can do it. I mean, I wasn’t striving to have a perfect serving day because I never expect perfection when I’m on the court. Like, I never expect 100% anything. Um, but, you know, it happened, and I was like, all right, cool. I didn’t even know until she said on the court. That’s the funny thing. I had no idea. I mean, I knew that I had like a good amount of aces and stuff like that, and I felt like I was serving really well. My rhythm was there, but I didn’t know that it was 100%. So, um, yeah, I’m gonna take it.”

On the court, she was adorned in one of her new tennis outfits, which, although Wednesday’s outfit was in New York Knicks colors – orange and blue- these are also the colors of an HBCU band who was performing on site. Wednesday is HBCU Live, a day at the US Open celebrating Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This happened to be a coincidence, Townsend said.

“So I honestly didn’t even know that it was HBCU (day), but I already had the look picked out and everything like that. And so, um, when I found that out and then I saw the band and they were wearing blue and orange and I was like, how cool?”

“One sound from “Drumline” just kept going through my head. that’s what I was like, that’s what I felt like. I felt like one of the dancers where you’re like on the side of the football field or in the bleachers, doing your dances, and everything’s moving, and it’s nice. So that’s what I felt like, but it’s it’s a really beautiful outfit.”

“I told my team that I wanted to do like blue and orange colors, and obviously, like, it was more so towards the Knicks, but then drum line comes to my mind. So that’s what I’m going with today. But yeah, I mean, I felt really really, um, great on the court. The dress was amazing.”

Townsend will be facing the No.5 seed Diana Shnaider in the third round.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 02: Taylor Townsend in action against Taylah Preston during a Women’s Singles match on Day Four of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Jeff Dean/USTA via Getty Images)

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Former Champions Brooksby, Opelka Join US Clay Field

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HOUSTON (Feb. 5, 2026) – A pair of former tournament winners – defending champion Jenson Brooksby and 2022 victor Reilly Opelka – are the latest players to commit to play the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. 

Brooksby and Opelka will join fellow past champions Ben Shelton (2024) and Frances Tiafoe (2023) as well as compatriots Tommy Paul, Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen for the only ATP Tour clay court event in North America, which will be held March 28-April 5 at River Oaks Country Club. 

“We have so much to look forward to at this year’s tournament with our four most recent champions set to take the court and compete for another title at River Oaks,” said Tournament Director Bronwyn Greer. “The recent wintery weather certainly has us all dreaming of warm, sunny days, and this strong player field gives us a lot to look forward to as we get closer to spring.”

Brooksby entered last season without a ranking, returning to action after an extended absence that included surgeries on both wrists. Just the second qualifier to win the US Clay title, his path to the trophy was improbable as he saved match points in three matches before capturing the first title of his career. 

Later in the year, Brooksby reached the final in Eastbourne, the fourth of his career, and the semifinals in Tokyo. The 25-year-old Californian was named the 2021 ATP Newcomer of the Year. This will be his third appearance at River Oaks. 

Opelka will return to River Oaks for the first time since defeating John Isner in the 2022 title match. The US Clay title is one of four he has won in his career from seven finals. 

Injuries kept Opelka off the circuit for most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He returned in 2025, reaching the Brisbane final, the ‘s-Hertogenbosch semifinal and three other quarterfinals. This will be his fifth appearance at River Oaks. 

Shelton will also be making his first appearance since winning the River Oaks title. He finished 2025 inside the Top 10 for the first time in his career. Last month he reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open. 

Tiafoe has played in the US Clay title match in each of the past three seasons. He has reached 10 finals in his career, winning three titles. Last season he advanced to the quarterfinals on clay at Roland Garros.

Tien made the quarterfinals at the Australian Open to open this season. The success comes after a strong finish to his 2025 campaign that included titles at the Next Gen ATP Finals and Metz along with a runner-up finish in Beijing. 

In 2025, Michelsen reached three semifinals and four quarterfinals, including at River Oaks. On clay, he claimed the title at the Challenger in Estoril. He has reached three ATP finals during his career. 

Paul had a strong start in 2025 before sitting out most of the latter half of the season with injury. He broke into the Top 10 for the first time after advancing to the quarterfinals at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros while also reaching the semifinals at three of his first six ATP events of the season. 

The initial player entry list for the 2026 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship will be released in early March. This year’s tournament will feature qualifying play on Stadium Court over opening weekend, March 28-29, and will conclude with the singles and doubles finals on Sunday, April 5. 

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Davis Cup in Delray Beach-Mensik Clinches Spot in Final 8 for Czechia with Win Over the U.S.

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(September 14, 2025) DELRAY BEACH, FL – Twenty-year-old Jakub Mensik clinched Czechia’s berth in the Davis Cup Final 8 in the decisive fifth rubber in the Second Round Qualifying tie. Mensik defeated Frances Tiafoe, 6-1, 6-4, to secure the 3-2 win for Czechia.

Czechia advances to the eight-nation Davis Cup Final 8 in November in Bologna, Italy. Meanwhile, the U.S. awaits its draw for the 2026 Qualifying round, which will feature a home-and-away tie in February.


Doubles began on day 2 of the Davis Cup tie between the US and Czechia on Saturday afternoon. Originally scheduled for the Czechs were Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek. Captain Tomas Berdych of the Czech team substituted  Jakub Mensik for Pavlasek to face Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.

The first set was a back-and-forth affair with the USA failing to capitalize on any of the three set points in the 12th game. Forwarding to the tiebreaker, Czechia held a set point that they could not take advantage of, and Team USA took the tiebreaker 7-6, (8-6).

There was a slight sprinkle of rain during the set, which made the court a little slippery, and on one point, both Machac and Mensik slipped on the same point. Machac took a medical time out just after the fifth game of the first set for his thigh and groin area.

An approaching thunderstorm halted play with Team USA up 7-6 (6), 3-4, and the umpire announced that everyone had to leave the stadium to take shelter. After two hours and 16 minutes, play resumed.

Czechia dodged a break point on Mensik’s serve at 4-4 and held for 5-4. The Czechs broke Krajicek’s serve to level the match at 6-7, 7-5.

The US opened the decider with a break at love but had to fight off a break point in the next game to go up 2-0. The Czechs won the next three games.

Forwarding to the ninth game, Ram and Krajicek break serve and then held out the win 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-4.

“It’s so special for us to represent our country,” said Ram. “It’s only my second home tie.”

“It’s pretty cool to just just to be able to exhibit what doubles can be and how entertaining it can be.”

On what made the difference in the match: “Honestly, I think similar to what you said when we played the Spain and the Olympics is that this is what we do,” said Ram. “This is what we do day and day out for a living, and we’ve done it for years and we’ve practiced it in some of the stuff that you know, the points that we get into, we practice those scenarios and we really do our best to hone in on it. And I think we trust ourselves in the biggest moments to not have to hit miraculous shots to win. And I think that’s a big, big difference.”

In the second match of the day, the number ones of each country faced off –  Taylor Fritz of the US versus Jiri Lehecka of Czechia.

Lehecka came out gaining a break of serve in the third game and fought off a break point in the tenth game but served out the set 6-4.

Fritz began a comeback by breaking serve in the second game to take a 2-0 lead in the second set, extending it to 3-0. In Fritz’s next sets of service games, he was constantly having to fight off break points. He held on for the set 6-3.

Lehecka won the third set 6-4 to clinch the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 and send the tie into a deciding fifth rubber.

In the deciding rubber, Jakub Mensik won the first 12 points of the match and went on to win the first set over Frances Tiafoe easily 6-1. The second set began with both men exchanging breaks of serve, but Mensik broke Tiafoe’s serve in the ninth game of the set and held on for the 6-1, 6-4 win and a trip to the Davis Cup Final 8 in November.

Day 1 Results

Jiri Lehecka (CZE) d. Frances Tiafoe (USA), 6-3, 6-2; Scorecard

Taylor Fritz (USA) d. Jakub Mensik (CZE), 6-4, 6-3; Scorecard

Day 2 Results 

Austin Krajicek/Rajeev Ram (USA) d. Tomas Machac/Mensik (CZE), 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-4; Scorecard

Lehecka (CZE) d. Fritz (USA), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Scorecard

Mensik (CZE) d. Tiafoe (USA), 6-1, 6-4; Scorecard

More to follow….

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United States vs Czechia – Davis Cup Second Round Qualifying Lineups and Schedule

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(September 11, 2025) DELRAY BEACH, FL, Delray Beach Tennis Center – The United States takes on Czechia this weekend in the second round of Qualifying, with the winning nations advancing to the Davis Cup Final 8 in Italy.

World No. 5 Taylor Fritz and No. 29 Frances Tiafoe lead Team U.S.A., hosting the Davis Cup tie at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.

Fritz did not show up for the draw ceremony as he was under the weather but positive that he will play the tie.  Captain Bob Bryan said,: “Obviously, you guys see we’re missing one guy here today. 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.”

 “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 U.S. Billie Jean King Cup team is 5-0 in their ties played at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. So the Davis Cup team hopes this brings them good luck.

“We might as well make it 6-0, right?” said Tiafoe. “Again, look, all these guys are happy to be here. We’re here for a reason. We believe in taking care of business out here. Then just keep pushing.

“Obviously it’s always nice to play in the States. We don’t get to play in the States that often, so we don’t take that for granted. Going to be excited to play with the fans, have them behind us. Familiar faces in the crowd. Everyone will do their thing and will be behind everybody.”

The U.S. Davis Cup Team last played in Delray in 2004 and defeated Sweden with Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, and Bob and Mike Bryan.

“I grew up watching this competition,” said Rajeev Ram. “I watched these guys play and the generations before them. Playing for your country is something that I don’t think can really be described as to how important it is. We get to play it for individuals, for ourselves, all year, but then when we get to play for our team, for our nation, for our captain, it’s a whole different feeling.

“It’s one that, for me, it’s probably the most special thing in tennis. If I ever get asked, I’m never going to say no for a Davis Cup tie.

Austin Krajicek is happy to be playing on home soil:  “It’s incredible. We have played in a lot of crazy places the last couple of years, to say the least, but it’s an honor to be part of the U.S. team.

“Any time I have a flag on my shirt, it’s a different feeling,100%. To be back here where I also came and watched as a kid, I grew up in Florida, not too far from Tampa, so to come back here to this site that we watched, it’s really special.

“Yeah, like Frances said, we’re not taking it for granted. We don’t get to play at home very often, so we’re extremely excited to be here in Delray.”

The USA-Czechia tie is one of seven home-and-away ties being played around the world this weekend as part of the second round of Qualifying. The U.S. defeated Chinese Taipei in its first round Qualifying tie earlier this year, while Czechia advanced past South Korea.

Play begins Friday night at 6 p.m. E.T. with the first two singles matches and concludes with a doubles match and two reverse singles on Saturday. The first nation to win three matches wins the tie and advances. The matches will be televised on Tennis Channel.

Tiafoe will take on Jiri Lehecka in the first rubber on Saturday, followed by Taylor Fritz taking on Jakub Mensik.

“Last time I played him, I had a crazy match with him, so excited to hopefully do it again and have the same result as last time,” said Tiafoe.

This is the seventh all-time meeting between the U.S. and Czechia in Davis Cup competition, with the U.S. leading the all-time series 5-1. The last meeting came in 2007 for a first round tie held in Ostrava, which saw the U.S. prevail, 4-1.

Friday, September 12 (6 p.m. ET)

Frances Tiafoe (USA) v. Jiri Lehecka (CZE)

Taylor Fritz (USA) v. Jakub Mensik (CZE)

Saturday, September 13 (2 p.m. ET)

Austin Krajicek/Rajeev Ram (USA) v. Adam Pavlasek/Tomas Machac (CZE)

Fritz (USA) v. Lehecka (CZE)

Tiafoe (USA) v. Mensik (CZE)

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U.S. Davis Cup Team Update – Reilly Opelka, Rajeev Ram, Austin Krajicek to Join Team in Delray Beach

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 U.S. Davis Cup Team Update Reilly Opelka, Rajeev Ram, Austin Krajicek to Join Team in Delray Beach

 FLUSHING, N.Y, September 4, 2025 – The U.S. Davis Cup Team that will compete in its Second Round Qualifying tie vs. Czechia September 12-13 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Fla., will include Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Reilly Opelka, Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek. Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul, who were previously nominated, have withdrawn.  This Second Round Qualifying competition is a best-of-five match series that will begin with two singles matches starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, September 12, then continue with a doubles match and two more singles matches beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 13. The first nation between the USA and Czechia to win three out of those five matches wins the Qualifier and will advance to the eight-nation Davis Cup Final 8 to compete for this year’s championship November 18-23 in Bologna, Italy. Tennis Channel will carry coverage in the U.S. Captains may make up to three combined substitutions / additions to their rosters up until the day prior to the competition starting. 
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