Davis Cup: Kuerten back on Brazil squad

Sao Paulo:

Three-time French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten was among eight players selected for consideration for Brazil's Davis Cup tie against Canada on Tuesday.

Brazil will face Canada April 6-8 in Group 1 of the Americas Zone.

The clay-court match-up will take place in the southern Brazilian city of Florianopolis.

Captain Francisco Costa, a former player who took over the squad in February, also selected the country's three highest-ranked players: Flavio Saretta (102), Thiago Alves (119) and Ricardo Mello (127), the Brazilian tennis federation said.

Only four players will be chosen for the tie.

Kuerten, ranked 670th by the ATP and 22nd best among Brazilians, was summoned despite a 2-6 singles record this season, his first playing regularly on tour since hip surgery in September 2004.

He lost his doubles match in Brazil's 3-1 loss to Sweden in a World Group playoff last year.

The 30-year-old Kuerten, who was ranked No. 1 in 2000, won the last of his 20 titles in February 2004. He won the French Open in 1997, 2000 and 2001.

Costa, whose highest ATP rank was 140th in 2000, replaced Fernando Meligeni, who resigned as captain in December after complaining that the federation gave low priority to the Davis Cup.