Carl-Uwe Steeb has stepped down as Germany's Davis Cup captain, the German Tennis Federation (DTB) announced today, and Boris Becker has turned down the chance to succeed him.
Steeb had been under fire since Germany's quarter-final elimination by The Netherlands in April. The 34-year-old, a former top 15 player, had been captain since October 1997.
"He [Steeb] told me last week in Hamburg that he was no longer available for the duty," said DTB president Georg von Waldenfels.
The DTB chief said Becker had been approached to succeed Steeb but that the three-times Wimbledon champion had turned down the offer.
"He [Becker] told me that he had enough to do with promoting young talent and playing on the seniors tour," Von Waldenfels said.
Becker, who helped Germany lift the trophy in 1988 and 1989, worked together with Steeb from 1997 as both team manager and doubles player, before leaving the team following internal squabbling in December 1999.
Von Waldenfels is to talk later today with former Wimbledon champion Michael Stich, who was a member of Germany's 1993 Davis Cup-winning team.