Lehecka beats Tien in decider as Czech Republic stun USA 3-2 at Davis Cup

At Prague’s O2 Arena, Jiri Lehecka needed his fourth match point to close out a 6-3, 7-5 comeback win over Learner Tien. When the final ball landed, the home bench erupted. The Czech Republic had just sealed a 3-2 victory over the United States in the Davis Cup qualifying tie – the second straight year they had beaten the Americans in a deciding rubber. The tie followed the five-rubber format – four singles and one doubles – on indoor hard chosen by the hosts. After the opening singles were split, Christian Harrison and Austin Krajicek saved four match points to take the doubles and give the U.S. a 2-1 lead. Jakub Mensik then levelled at 2-2 with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 comeback over Ben Shelton. That set the stage for Lehecka’s decisive match. Lehecka was not flawless. He trailed by an early break in the first set and slipped 0-3 in the second as Tien’s left-handed serve caused problems. He converted only his fourth match point. Yet under pressure, his structure held: he pinned Tien deep, worked the ad-court serve, and waited for the adjustment. Mensik’s win over Shelton was the tie’s highest-signal singles result – losing the first set, then winning the next two. The upset label makes sense in a ranking sense – the U.S. has more depth on paper. But the pattern now runs two years: Czech Republic beat the U.S. in a deciding rubber in 2026 through Mensik and in 2026 through Lehecka. Davis Cup has awarded no ATP ranking points since 2026, so the result is about prestige and momentum. The home team used its indoor-hard advantage and converted the clutch moments rather than relying on reputation. Bologna Final 8 in November is next. Open questions remain: can Lehecka and Mensik carry this form to a neutral venue, and can the U.S. end a drought dating to 2026.