PRAGUE, Feb 14: World number 16 Nicole Vaidisova has quit the Czech Fed Cup team to concentrate on improving her standing in the rankings, Czech daily Sport said on Wednesday.

“Nicole was always proud to be playing for Czech Republic. But she has reached the point in her career when she wants to improve her rankings,” Sport quoted her agent Olivier van Lindonk as saying. “It was a very tough decision for her.”

The Czechs meet Israel away on April 26-27 in their fourth consecutive World Group play-off. Last year the Czechs, missing Vaidisova due to illness, lost 4-1 to Spain.

Van Lindonk added Vaidisova wanted to play for the Czechs at the Beijing Olympics this year and return to the Fed Cup team sometime in the future.—Reuters