Safin doubtful for Davis Cup
tie in Sweden

Peter Starck

U.S. Open champion Marat Safin is doubtful for Russia's Davis Cup quarter-final against Sweden this weekend, a Swedish team official said.

"He is here, he arrived last night, but we don't know whether he will play. We'll probably only know for sure by the draw tomorrow," Henrik Odervall, competition manager at the Swedish Tennis Federation, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Safin might not feature in the tie, which starts on Friday, because of an injury picked in a tournament in Dubai in February.

Safin, the world number one in the ATP Entry System rankings, will decide whether to play or not after a practice session at the indoor hardcourt arena ahead of the draw at 1100 GMT on Thursday.

His manager Ion Tiriac had been quoted as saying Safin was very disappointed at not being able to play in the tie, but Russian officials in Malmo said the 21-year-old might change his mind.

One of the untested newcomers in the Russian squad -- Mikhail Yuzhny or Andrei Stolyarov -- will team up with Yevgeny Kafelnikov, the world number six, if Safin cannot play.

Seven-time Davis Cup winners Sweden also have injury problems.

Nicklas Kulti is sidelined because of a foot injury and is expected to be replaced for Saturday's doubles by novice Simon Aspelin.

Magnus Norman, fifth in the ATP Entry System rankings, and Thomas Johansson are set to play in the singles.

Neither Norman nor Johansson were in the team when Sweden beat Russia 4-1 in the 1994 Davis Cup final, the last time the two countries met.

Kafelnikov, 27, who won Russia's only point in that match seven years ago, has said victory in the Davis Cup is the only major goal left in his career.

Sweden beat the Czech Republic 3-2 and Russia ousted Slovakia by the same score in the first round of this year's competition.

The winner will play Brazil or Australia in the semifinals in September.