BERLIN, Feb 2: Benjamin Becker has been chosen ahead of Florian Mayer to play singles in Germany's World Group first-round match against former champions Croatia.

The German tennis federation revealed the 25-year-old, world number 54 Becker and Tommy Haas, ranked ninth, would line-up for the Feb 9-11 tie in Krefeld in the west of the country.

Becker is best known for beating Andre Agassi in the third round of the US Open last year to end the career of one of only five men to have won all four Grand Slam titles.

German captain Patrik Kuhnen said he had chosen Becker instead of Mayer because of his results over the last six months. “His (Becker's) game is ideal against the Croatians,” Kuhnen said. “It's the team which gives us the best chance of beating the 2005 winners.”

Becker and Haas, plus Alexander Waske and Michael Kohlmann in the doubles, will nevertheless be up against it when they meet the likes of Ivan Ljubicic and Mario Ancic, with Ivo Karlovic and Marin Cilic playing the doubles—AFP