Czech Davis Cup captain taken ill, to miss final

Prague, Nov 11 (IANS) Czech Davis Cup tennis team captain Jaroslav Navratil will not lead his players in the final against Serbia scheduled for Nov 15-17 in Belgrade over pulmonary embolism.

“Captain Navratil was hospitalised with pulmonary embolism in the middle of the week… On the basis of consultation with doctors, it was decided today that he cannot fly to Belgrade,” said the team’s spokesman Karel Tejkal Sunday, reports Xinhua.

After consultations with players Monday, the person who is to replace Navratil will be decided.

Navratil has led the Czech team since 2006 and has become the most successful Czech Davis Cup captain. The Czech team have advanced to the Davis Cup final three times, since 2009 and even defeated Spain in Prague in 2012 and won the tournament after 32 years.

Tomas Berdych, Radek Stepanek, Lukas Rosol and Jan Hajek were named the final.