Boycott-hit Brazil name new Davis Cup team

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil have named a new Davis Cup team for next month’s tie with Paraguay after former world number one Gustavo Kuerten led a boycott of their leading players. 

The Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) named 39-year-old coach Carlos Chabalgoity as team captain on Wednesday after the passing of a deadline it had set for Kuerten and the other rebels to reply to a peace offer. 

The CBT said it had selected Marcos Daniel, Alexandre Simoni and Julio Silva for the American zone match at home to Paraguay from April 9 to 11. Two more players will be named by Monday. 

Daniel, 194th in the ATP Entry Rankings, is the highest ranked of the trio. 

Kuerten, Flavio Saretta, Ricardo Mello and Andre Sa organised the boycott in protest at the administration of CBT president Nelson Nastas, who has run the confederation for 10 years. – Reuters