Daniell named in Davis Cup team

BY WALT DICKSON

Marcus Daniell's stellar start to the season continued this week when he was named in the New Zealand Davis Cup team.

The Masterton tennis ace shot to prominence last month when he won the men's doubles crown with Romanian Horia Tecau at the Heineken Open in Auckland. The win  the first time a Kiwi has won an ATP final in 11 years  rocketed Daniell from a world ranking of 670 to 220. New Zealand plays Sri Lanka in an Asia-Oceania tie of the Davis Cup in Sri Lanka from March 5 to 7.

Confirmation of Daniell's Davis Cup selection capped off a terrific fundraising evening for the young tennis star at the Masterton Town Hall on Monday.

The Wairarapa Sports Education Trust-organised event raised over $10,000 for Daniell.

It was at Monday's event that Daniell was confirmed as being named in the New Zealand Davis Cup team. Wairarapa Tennis chief executive Cilla Paulik, who had coached Daniell from age four, made the announcement to the delight of the 200-strong audience.

Sports broadcaster Keith Quinn anchored the evening with interviews with Daniell and former top women's player Belinda Caldwell.

- Wairarapa News