Mardy Fish was named U.S. Davis Cup captain on Wednesday as the men’s team competition enters a new era. Fish, winner of six ATP singles titles and a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, takes over from Jim Courier who held the post for eight years before stepping down in September. “It is something that is a dream job for me, something I won’t take for granted,” said Fish during a conference call. “To be the next Davis Cup captain is incredibly humbling. “I can’t express how excited I am… that the players have supported the decision,” added the 37-year-old. “Everyone is really excited about the idea of the reform and the new format, sort of a World Cup of Tennis. “It is going to be interesting from all parties to see how it goes.” Fish will take charge in a dramatically different Davis Cup format from the one in which he played in 11 ties from 2002-12. Instead of the three-day ties that used to take place a few times during the year, it has been overhauled into an 18-team event that this year will be played from Nov. 18-24 in Madrid. The new format will also bring a change in duties for the U.S. Davis Cup captain, who will work closely with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) player development programme. Published in Daily Times, January 11th 2019.