Americans Draw Brazil

Austrian Thomas Muster said conditions were life-threatening in a Davis Cup match last month in Brazil.

The Americans will have a chance to see for themselves after being paired against Brazil, who will be host, in the 1997 Davis Cup draw.

For the United States, which has won the Davis Cup a record 31 times, Brazil should be easily swept aside. The Americans have six players in the world’s top 15 - and 13 Americans are ranked ahead of Brazil’s top player, No. 105 Gustavo Kuerten. However, the best Americans don’t always participate in the Davis Cup.

In the other seven first-round match-ups from the World Group draw: The Netherlands plays at Romania, France at Australia, India at the Czech Republic, Mexico at Italy, Germany at Spain, Russia at South Africa, and Switzerland at Sweden.

In this year’s Davis Cup final, France plays Sweden Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at Malmo, Sweden.