BERLIN -- World No. 4 Tommy Haas withdrew from Germany's Davis Cup team on Friday a week before their match against Croatia, blaming a dispute with team officials.

Haas, who reached the semifinals of the Australian Open last month, sent a 12-line fax from his home in Florida to the German Tennis Federation (DTB) saying that he was not in the right frame of mind to play because of a public row he had with the DTB.

DTB President Georg von Waldenfels had rejected Haas's request that the DTB share the cost for a physiotherapist.

In the fax, Haas said that he had told Germany's Davis Cup captain Michael Stich before Christmas that he would play against Croatia.

"But since then so many things about me have been brought out into the public that it makes it burdensome for me to be in the same environment with the DTB," the German number one wrote.

"I know that my game, both mentally and physically, would suffer in such a situation and that's why I see myself forced to cancel my participation in the match against Croatia."

Last September Haas threatened not to play Davis Cup this year because he wanted to concentrate on his own career but then changed his mind

Stich said he was surprised by Haas's decision.

"The cancellation is disappointing for me and German tennis because we would certainly have been a stronger team with him," Stich said. "Our chances are nevertheless still quite good."

Waldenfels said he was sad that money had played a larger role than patriotism.

"Everyone involved in German tennis have extraordinary regrets about this cancellation," he said.

"I cannot understand this at all. It's a sad situation when a few marks play such a role. If it is an honour to play for Germany, money should not be the decisive factor."

Stich said he did not know yet who he would nominate to replace Haas. He has already named Rainer Schuettler, Nicolas Kiefer and David Prinosil to the team.

"We still have four days," Stich said.