Top Japanese tennis player Ai Sugiyama will return to the nation's Fed Cup squad for the first time in two years.
Sugiyama was named a member of the first-round match against Switzerland at Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum on April 22-23 in the Fed Cup World Group 2 by the Japan Tennis Association on Wednesday, along with Aiko Nakamura, Akiko Morigami and Shinobu Asagoe.
Japan coach Minoru Ueda, revealing his plan to use Sugiyama in the first singles match, said, "I'll have the one in the best condition of the other three play the second singles match after looking at their practices."
The four players were selected based on the latest world rankings. Sugiyama is 22nd, Nakamura 63rd, Morigami 69th and Asagoe 75th.
Former world No. 1 Martina Hingis will not play for Switzerland, which faces Japan with four junior players, led by 232nd-ranked Timea Bacsinszky.