By Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - SportJAMAICA'S TOP ranked tennis player, Dustin Brown, is adamant he will not represent the island in next month's Americas Zone Group Two Davis Cup encounter against Mexico.
Brown's decision is a crippling blow to Jamaica's hopes of advancing from (or even staying in) Group Two and stems from dissatisfaction with the sport's ruling body here, Tennis Jamaica.
"They sent me a registration form for the Davis Cup by e-mail today and I e-mailed them straight back saying I am not going to play," said 19-year-old Brown yesterday from Stuttgart in Germany where he just qualified for the main draw of a Futures tournament.
"I feel Jamaica a lot, I love playing for Jamaica but I have to look after myself," said Brown, who along with fellow teenager Ryan Russell steered Jamaica to promotion from Group Three last year in Trinidad and Tobago.
"The association (Tennis Jamaica) has been very irresponsible. It is not doing anything for me; I am not getting any support at all from them. They are not helping financially with anything. They are simply not getting involved," he said.
Brown, currently ranked in the 580s in the world, said he would seriously consider representing Germany if he got his ranking high enough to be considered.
"I have a German passport and would play for Germany if given the chance but I love playing for Jamaica I feel I have a connection there," said Brown whose mother, Inge, is German and father, Leroy, is Jamaican.
Long-serving Tennis Jamaica president Ken Morgan said his organisation was hard pressed for funds and simply didn't have the resources to pump into individuals.
"We would like to help Dustin but it's difficult at this time," Morgan said last week.
"What we'd like to do is have a meeting with Dustin and his mother in Kingston and explain our position. We know their grievances as they have written to us.
"It would be good to iron out the problems at a meeting and I hope we can do that as Dustin is an important part of the (Cup) team," he said.
Jamaica's Davis Cup tie against highly-rated Mexico begins on February 6 at the Liguanea Club, New Kingston.
