Ben Shelton loses his first match since the U.S. Open final, falling 6-4, 6-4 to 24th-ranked Jiri Lehecka in a Davis Cup qualifying-round match in Prague. Shelton struggles to control his serve and is broken early in each set on the indoor hard court at O2 Arena.
The result levels the tie after an earlier singles match. Learner Tien beats Jakub Mensik 6-2, 6-4 in his Davis Cup debut, giving the United States an initial 1-0 lead. With Shelton’s loss, the Czech Republic draws level at 1-1.
Both outlets describe the straight-sets score, the indoor setting, and Lehecka’s early breaks as key factors. Differences are limited to phrasing and the extent of match context included, but they agree on the match outcome and the tie situation after the two singles matches.
