Lendl to play for U.S.?

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 72

Lendl to play for U.S.?

NZPA-Reuter New York Ivan Lendl may be thinking of seeking United States citizenship. The outgoing U.S. Davis Cup captain, Arthur Ashe, raised that possibility yesterday when he disclosed that Lendl, a Czech citizen, told him during last year’s U.S. Open that he wanted to play for the American team.

“He came over to me just before he went on the court for the final and said: ‘Listen, I want to play on the

U.S. Davis Cup team next year’,” said Ashe after a press conference at which Tom Gorman was named to succeed him as the American team coach. “I said, ‘What? Are you serious?’ He didn’t answer, but when he said it he looked dead serious.” Lendl, the world’s topranking player, was unavailable for comment yesterday

on whether he was considering applying for U.S. citizenship. Lendl, who has been liv-

ing in Greenwich, Connecticut, for the last few years, recently has had differences with the Czechoslovak Tennis Federation. His agent, Jerry Solomon, said last month that Lendl probably would not play Davis Cup tennis for Czechoslovakia next year because of “philosophical differences” and a disagreement over money. Since taking up residence in the United States, Lendl has returned to his homeland only to play in the Davis Cup.