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Czech Davis Cup captain extends deal

Czech Davis Cup captain extends deal

Prague (AFP) - Jaroslav Navratil has extended his contract as captain of the Czech Republic's Davis Cup team through to 2015.

Navratil, 56, who has overseen the Czech team's triumphs in the 2012 and 2013 tournaments, also indicated that his two leading players, world number seven Tomas Berdych and 44th-ranked Radek Stepanek, would continue to play Davis Cup tennis next year.

"I was waiting for a decision from Berdych and Stepanek, and then I decided to sign for two more seasons," Navratil, who has been captain since 2006, told agency CTK.

The Czech Republic will face the Netherlands in the first round of the 2014 World Group, with the tie to be staged in Ostrava from January 31 to February 2.

Under Navratil, the Czechs have taken part in three finals in the last five years.

After a 5-0 hammering by Spain in Barcelona in 2009, they beat the same opponents 3-2 in Prague in 2012 and then retained their title by beating Serbia by the same score in Belgrade earlier this year.

Navratil missed this year's final, though, after being hospitalised with a pulmonary embolism. In his absence, Vladimir Safarik took charge of the team.