The United States kicked off their Davis Cup Finals group stage with a commanding 3-0 victory over Chile in Zhuhai, China, despite missing several top singles players. Reilly Opelka and Brandon Nakashima secured crucial singles wins in tight three-set matches, giving Team USA an early lead in their Group C opener.
Opelka, ranked 309th, edged past Cristian Garin (ranked 116th) with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) win, while Nakashima, ranked 40th, outlasted Alejandro Tabilo 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(3). The duo’s efforts were complemented by Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, who sealed the tie with a doubles win against Matias Soto and Tomas Barrios Vera in three sets, placing the U.S. alongside Germany at the top of the group.
Despite missing stars like Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Tommy Paul, Captain Bob Bryan’s squad showcased their depth and resilience. The victory marks a strong start as the 32-time champions aim to reach the quarterfinals for only the second time since the competition adopted its new format in 2019.
Elsewhere, other group stage matches continued with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz expected to compete against the Czech Republic in Group B, and Britain facing Finland in Group D. Defending champions Italy took on Brazil in Group A, while Tuesday’s results included Australia defeating France, Germany overcoming Slovakia, Belgium beating the Netherlands, and Canada triumphing over Argentina.
