BARCELONA, Spain -- Former French Open champion Albert Costa was named Spain's Davis Cup captain on Thursday, a month after the team beat Argentina for the 2008 title.
The 33-year-old Costa replaces Emilio Sanchez Vicario, who stepped down after leading Spain to its third Davis Cup title with a 3-1 win over Argentina in Mar del Plata.
Costa was a member of Spain's first Davis Cup winning team in 2000. He also won 12 ATP singles titles during his playing career, including the 2002 French Open. He is currently coaching Feliciano Lopez.
"I accomplished a lot of my dreams as a player, winning at Roland Garros and now I've managed another one, becoming captain of our Davis Cup team," said Costa, who agreed to lead Spain for one year.
Costa's debut will be a first-round World Group match against Serbia at Benidorm from March 6 to March 8.
"We're very ambitious. We want to keep working really hard and we want to win the Davis Cup again," Costa said.
Sanchez Vicario, who led Spain for three full seasons after taking charge in October 2005, had publicly pushed for the Spanish tennis federation to pick Costa.
Sanchez Vicario announced his retirement after Spain's unlikely victory -- it came with top-ranked Rafael Nadal unavailable due to injury -- against the heavily favored Argentines.
"He did an incredible job and he's kind of left me in a bad spot. It'll be nearly impossible to better what he did," Costa said.
Costa had an 11-8 career record as a player in 13 Davis Cup series.
Costa was a member of Spain's first Davis Cup winning team in 2000. He also won 12 ATP singles titles during his playing career, including the 2002 French Open. He is currently coaching Feliciano Lopez.
"I accomplished a lot of my dreams as a player, winning at Roland Garros and now I've managed another one, becoming captain of our Davis Cup team," said Costa, who agreed to lead Spain for one year.
Costa's debut will be a first-round World Group match against Serbia at Benidorm from March 6 to March 8.
"We're very ambitious. We want to keep working really hard and we want to win the Davis Cup again," Costa said.
Sanchez Vicario, who led Spain for three full seasons after taking charge in October 2005, had publicly pushed for the Spanish tennis federation to pick Costa.
Sanchez Vicario announced his retirement after Spain's unlikely victory -- it came with top-ranked Rafael Nadal unavailable due to injury -- against the heavily favored Argentines.
"He did an incredible job and he's kind of left me in a bad spot. It'll be nearly impossible to better what he did," Costa said.
Costa had an 11-8 career record as a player in 13 Davis Cup series.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
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