Sampras Will Face Sweden in Davis Cup

Pete Sampras surprised the U.S. Tennis Assn. by changing his mind and agreeing to play in the Davis Cup semifinals against Sweden Sept. 23-25.

Tom Gullikson, Davis Cup captain, announced his team Sunday and said the No. 1-ranked Sampras, who had suffered from exhaustion and badly blistered feet in an upset loss last week in the U.S. Open, had called a few days later saying he would not play.

“He just said he changed his mind,” said Gullikson, whose twin brother, Tim, is Sampras’ coach.

The rest of the team includes ninth-ranked Todd Martin and a doubles team of Jonathan Stark and Jared Palmer, among the top doubles players in the world, but never before a team.

The Davis Cup tie against Sweden will be held in Goteborg. The other semifinal will match Russia and Germany.