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Ben Shelton Confirmed for U.S. Davis Cup vs Czech Republic

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 9:59 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Shelton Named Davis Cup

Ben Shelton was confirmed for the U.S. Davis Cup team versus the Czech Republic.
Shelton lost to Alexander Zverev in the U.S. Open final on September 13, 2026, and rose to world No. 4.
Learner Tien, Martin Damm, Christian Harrison and Austin Krajicek were named to the U.S. squad.
Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul withdrew from the Davis Cup roster.
The Czech squad of Jakub Mensik, Jiri Lehecka, Tomas Machac and Vit Kopriva will play September 18-19 at the O2 Arena.

Summary

Zverev Sparks Serve-Clock Debate

Alexander Zverev bounced the ball about 12,000 times over 2½ hours, sparking calls for serve-clock limits.
Shelton urged officials to cap time on second serves after Zverev’s prolonged pre-serve routines.
Zverev revealed he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age four during his post-match interview.
He became the fourth Open-era player, joining Connors, Vilas and Jannik Sinner, to win two majors in one season.

History

Historical Context

In 1981 the International Tennis Federation created a 16-team World Group, introducing promotion-relegation and the first prize pool of US$1 million, which let the United States claim its 27th Davis Cup title. That restructuring limited participation and standardized scheduling, a precedent echoed today as 2026 teams adjust rosters and debate serve-clock rules.

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Shelton Named Davis Cup

Ben Shelton was confirmed for the U.S. Davis Cup team versus the Czech Republic.
Shelton lost to Alexander Zverev in the U.S. Open final on September 13, 2026, and rose to world No. 4.
Learner Tien, Martin Damm, Christian Harrison and Austin Krajicek were named to the U.S. squad.
Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul withdrew from the Davis Cup roster.
The Czech squad of Jakub Mensik, Jiri Lehecka, Tomas Machac and Vit Kopriva will play September 18-19 at the O2 Arena.

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