Tennis: Competition hots up for Davis Cup place

Competition for the second singles berth is intensifying in the New Zealand Davis Cup tennis team for this week's Asia/Oceania Group Two final against Korea in Auckland.

With GD Jones out injured, Dan King-Turner, Rubin Statham and Adam Thompson are all vying for the number two singles slot behind New Zealand number one Mark Nielsen.

Captain Bruce Derlin will reveal his choice tomorrow, with King-Turner or Statham expected to get the nod.

King-Turner says there is plenty of competition between the players, but his form puts him in good stead, and he has just spent six weeks in the States and Mexico where he did quite well.

He admits it is an anxious wait, and says while they are all in the same position, whoever is playing the best at the end of the week will get the nod.

The draw for the tie is made tomorrow with the number two New Zealand singles player set to face Korean number one Hyung-Taik Lee on Friday. Lee has been regularly ranked in the top 100 in the world.

The winner of the tie will be promoted to Asia/Oceania Group One for next year.

- NEWSTALK ZB