U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe was hired Wednesday as the new general manager of elite player development for the U.S. Tennis Association. McEnroe’s job will be to oversee development of young players and reverse a recent decline in American fortunes on the men’s and women’s tours. Europe, Asia and South America have had increasing success in developing young talent.

Roger Federer says young people seem to be following the U.S. presidential race this year — and that includes him. The Swiss tennis star said he became interested in the campaign during his offseason last winter. “I was following it more actually when I was in Switzerland and not playing,” Federer said following his fourth-round victory Tuesday at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova won’t play for Russia in the Fed Cup semifinals against the United States this month as Svetlana Kuznetsova takes her turn on the team. The fourth-ranked Kuznetsova will lead Russia in the best-of-five semifinal series in Moscow on April 26-27. The fifth-ranked Sharapova played her first Fed Cup matches against Israel in February.

Germany will be without Tommy Haas for its Davis Cup quarterfinal next week against Spain. But Nicolas Kiefer will be available for the April 11-13 indoor match on Rebound Ace in Bremen. Team captain Patrik Kuehnen on Tuesday also nominated Philipp Kohlschreiber, Michael Berrer and Philipp Petzschner.