Eri Hozumi withdrew from this weekend's Fed Cup World Group II Playoff against Belarus at Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum because of a sprained left ankle, the Japan Tennis Association announced on Tuesday. Hozumi will be replaced by Ayumi Morita.
The 25-year-old Hozumi was making her third Fed Cup squad and has had a 2-0 record in the singles and 3-0 mark in the doubles in the last two nominations.
Morita, 25, was called up for the national team for the first time since 2013. Her Fed Cup career mark has been 16-9 for the singles and 6-4 for the doubles.
Japan team, coached by Yuka Yoshida, also includes world's No. 54 (singles) Kurumi Nara, Misaki Doi and Shuko Aoyama.
The 32nd-ranked (singles) Victoria Azarenka, Olga Govortsova, Aliaksandra Sasnovich and Vera Lapko play for Belarus. Tatiana Poutchek coaches the team.