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Thursday, July 17
Dent turns down Davis Cup invitation
By Cynthia J. Faulkner

Taylor Dent hasn't made a decision about which country to play for in Davis Cup, but he did turn down a spot on the U.S. Davis Cup team that will play at Oklahoma City, captain Patrick McEnroe said Thursday.

There were earlier reports that McEnroe had offered to let Dent be a practice partner for the team in the tie between the United States and Slovakia in February at Oklahoma City. But McEnroe says the invitation extended further than that.

"I offered him a spot on the team," McEnroe said.

Dent, 20, could be eligible to play for the Australian Davis Cup team if he chose to become an Australian citizen. His father, Phil, was once Australia's top tennis player.

McEnroe said Dent declined one of the four spots for February saying he wanted to rest his back from an injury that developed in Melbourne at the Australian Open, where Dent has advanced to the third round in his debut there. Davis Cup teams also usually include two practice partners who serve as substitutes in case of injury.

"I still hope in the long run that he'll play for the U.S.," McEnroe said. "As far as I'm concerned he's an American and has always been an American."

Earlier this week, Dent said his loyalties are with the United States.

"I'm definitely, probably, heading toward that direction, but I haven't made any clear-cut decision," Dent said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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