TOKYO: New Zealander Ben McLachlan has switched allegiance and will play for Japan in this month’s Davis Cup World Group playoff against Brazil, Japanese tennis officials said Wednesday. The 25-year-old doubles specialist has been named alongside Yuichi Sugita, Go Soeda and Yasutaka Uchiyama for the Osaka tie, which begins on September 15. World number 10 Kei Nishikori will miss the clash after ruling himself out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury. McLachlan, who has been ranked as high as 130th in doubles, qualifies through his Japanese mother and obtained citizenship earlier this year, according to the Japan Tennis Association. Published in Daily Times, September 7th 2017.