PRAGUE (AP) Tomes Berdych is returning to the Czech Republic's squad after one-year absence to play next month's Davis Cup's first round series at Germany.
Berdych, who helped his country to win back-to-back Davis Cup titles in 2012-13, focused on the ATP Tour last year. He didn't play in the 3-2 loss to Australia in the first round and also missed a 3-1 victory in India in the Davis Cup World Group playoff.
Veteran Radek Stepanek, Lukas Rosol and Jiri Vesely will join the 7th-ranked Berdych for the March 4-6 series on an indoor hardcourt at TUI Arena in Hannover.
Germany won both previous encounters between the two in 1993 and 2005. The Czechs last won as Czechoslovakia in 1982.