The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Australia wants Davis Cup tie moved from India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 27, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Australia wants Davis Cup tie moved from India

Even after 26/11, the ATP event was held: Chauhan
Australia’s decision has come in for criticism

NEW DELHI: Australia has requested its Davis Cup tie against India be moved out of the country due to security concerns.

The host, however, remains confident of staging the event in May.

“Australia have told the International Tennis Federation that the tie should not be held in India,” All India Tennis Association executive director Ranbir Chauhan said on Thursday.

“We have also written back to the ITF. We’re very, very confident the tie is going to take place in India. We guarantee full security, they will be treated as our guests,” he added.

Chauhan criticised Australia’s move to have the tie shifted.

“Even after 26/11, the ATP event was held,” he said.

“We took permission from the state government and only then did we choose Chennai. There is no reason for this and we are very upset.”

Safe city

The May 8-10 tie is due to be staged in Chennai, considered a safe city, in the face of increased security fears elsewhere following the ambush on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore by armed gunmen this month.

The attack has triggered concern, especially in south Asia, that sport could become a target for more attacks.

India also remains nervous after Islamist militants killed 166 people in a strike on Mumbai in November last year.

Private consultants

The AITA has announced that it would hire private security consultants for the tie against the former champion. The AITA would hold a news conference on Friday to explain the issue, Chauhan added.

The winner of the Australia-India tie will advance to the World Group play-offs. — Agencies

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport