Turmoil Hits Swiss Team Before Cup Final Vs. U.S.

GENEVA - Having the heavily-favored United States as its opponent in the Davis Cup final is tough enough. The last thing the underdogs need is an internal rebellion.

Yet, that's what the Swiss team has gone through as it prepares for the Dec. 4-6 meeting in Fort Worth, Texas.

Roland Stadler, non-playing team captain, was forced to resign last week after his players deserted him in a tennis-federation power struggle. He has been replaced by Dimitri Sturzda, a Romanian-born businessman and former Swiss Davis Cup player.

"Now we have to overcome the dispute in the federation so there can be good play in Fort Worth," Sturdza said. "I hate defeats."

In their first final, the Swiss are expected to rely on the duo that beat Brazil 5-0 in the semifinals - Marc Rosset, Olympic singles champion whose bullet serve has topped 125 mph, and his Davis Cup doubles partner, Jakob Hlasek.

With the off-court tensions apparently overcome, both headed into training on a rising curve. Rosset won the Kremlin Cup in Moscow last Sunday for his first professional title in two years; Hlasek reached the semifinals.

Before that, turmoil had engulfed the team that eliminated France's defending champions in the quarterfinals.

The infighting began over the tennis federation's decision to base its national training center in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

Georges Deniau, the team's French coach, rebelled, saying he could not learn German even if he wanted to and wouldn't move from the current center, near Lausanne in the French-speaking part.

Stadler, a Swiss German, got into the firing line because the choice of location was linked to the federation's youth program, where he is active.

Deniau, nicknamed "Napoleon" for his headstrong ways, forced the issue to be settled by a confidence vote in Stadler. The players voted against Stadler, prompting him to resign on Nov. 10.

The 6-foot-5 Rosset, 21, should be the Swiss team's key player at Fort Worth. Currently ranked 36th in the world, he has regained respect after an erratic season, including a recent first-round loss in Paris.

"Before I sometimes was the shame of the country," Rosset said.

Rosset has beaten two of the U.S. team members this year - Jim Courier and Andre Agassi.

Pete Sampras and John McEnroe round out the U.S. squad. Claudio Mezzadri and Thierry Grin are Switzerland's substitutes.