Becker declines Germany job

Berlin - Boris Becker has ruled himself out as a possible candidate to take over as Germany's Davis Cup captain while he continues to coach world number-one Novak Djokovic.

The 47-year-old German took over as Djokovic's coach last season and helped the Serbian star claim his eighth Grand Slam title by beating Britain's Andy Murray in the recent Australian Open final.

"The job as Davis Cup team boss, I can't imagine right now," the three-time Wimbledon champion told Germany's Tennis Magazin.

Germany face 2014 finalists France in Frankfurt on March 6-8 in a World Group first-round tie.

Becker was linked to the vacancy over the weekend when German Tennis Federation (DTB) vice-president Dirk Hordorff told Munich-based newspaper the Sueddeutsche Zeitung that Becker "was not at the bottom" of a list of candidates.

Even though Becker has unofficially turned down the job, Hordorff told SID, an AFP subsidiary, that he "prefers to have a personal interview with candidates" and "did not want to rule out any possibility".

Carsten Arriens was fired as Germany's Davis Cup captain last week and the DTB are eager to fill the vacancy as quickly as possible.