“Opelka and Nakashima Lead Team USA to Thrilling Victory in Davis Cup Finals Opener!”

The United States secured an impressive opening win at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, thanks to the efforts of Reilly Opelka and Brandon Nakashima. The team faced Chile in their first group-stage match at the Hengqin International Tennis Center in Zhuhai, China, and both matches ended in nail-biting victories decided by third-set tiebreaks.

Reilly Opelka, making his return from injury, was up against Cristian Garin. Opelka, known for his powerful serve, dominated the first set, winning 6-3, and firing a total of 27 aces throughout the match. Despite a stumble in the second set, which he lost 4-6, he came back strong in the third, claiming victory 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) in a tightly contested tiebreak. This gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead over Chile【6†source】.

Brandon Nakashima followed suit with another hard-fought win over Chile’s top-ranked player, Alejandro Tabilo. Nakashima, fresh off an excellent run at the U.S. Open, continued his form into the Davis Cup, winning the first set in a tiebreak. However, like Opelka, he dropped the second set, 2-6. The final set also went to a tiebreak, where Nakashima triumphed 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(3), securing a 2-0 overall victory for the United States【6†source】【7†source】.

This win sets a strong tone for the U.S. team’s Davis Cup campaign as they head into their next ties against Slovakia and Germany. One more win should be enough to see them through to the knockout stage in Malaga【6†so

urce】.