TNT Sports
Bates is thinking ahead
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Published 19/02/2004 at 21:25 GMT
The contingency plan should Greg Rusedski be banned by an ATP anti-doping tribunal, has been kicked into action with Jeremy Bates, the captain of Great Britain's Davis Cup team, making a trip to find an alternative to the over-dependent use of Tim Henman
Eurosport
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The likelihood of 30-year-old Rusedski being handed a maximum penalty means that he will not play David Cup tennis again.
And that has focused minds at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
Bates was promoted to the unenviable position of directing British fortunes in the men's team competition, in December 2003.
Having succeeded Roger Taylor, the 41-year-old, has flown to Vietnam in search of a team with the potential to beat Luxembourg and return to the 16-nation World Group in 2005.
The former LTA national training manager, has gotten on to a plane to the Far East in the company of British numbers three, four and five.
Bates will follow the fortunes of Arvind Parmar, Alex Bogdanovic and Lee Childs in a series of Challenger tournaments.
If the trio perform and show the right attitude, then Rusedski's performances and support of his adopted nation over the past decade will be consigned to memory.
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