Ivanisevic turns down comeback request from depleted Croatians

Goran Ivanisevic, who retired three years ago, revealed yesterday that he has rejected a request to play in Croatia's Davis Cup tie against Britain at Wimbledon next weekend.

Two of Croatia's top three players are unavailable for the World Group play-off. Ivo Karlovic, the world No 30, has been in financial dispute with the Croatian federation, while Mario Ancic (No 40) is injured. Ivan Ljubicic (No 12) leads the team, with Marin Cilic (No 117) likely to be Croatia's other singles player. Andy Murray and Tim Henman head the British team.

Ivanisevic is in London to play in this afternoon's Betfair Turbo Tennis event at the O2 Arena against Andy and Jamie Murray, Greg Rusedski, James Blake and Pat Cash. Rusedski has replaced Henman, who pulled out yesterday after his wife, Lucy, gave birth to their third daughter, Grace.

Andy Murray, mean-while, cast doubt over his long-term Davis Cup future. The British No 1 said that ties often came at difficult times in the calendar and that switching between different surfaces had caused him problems in the past.

"I was playing great before I played in the Davis Cup in Ukraine last year, but I hardly won another match for the rest of the year," he said. "I hurt my neck when I played against Israel in Eastbourne last year and I hurt my back in Monte Carlo straight after Davis Cup this year. Maybe they have been coincidences, but there have been four or five different times when it has happened.

"I love Davis Cup, but it's just that I'm hurting myself by playing it, so I have to make decisions about whether to play Davis Cup and whether to take a couple of weeks off after it."