The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday decided to begin the process to procure Pakistan visas for its players and support staff, indicating that it may send a team to the neighbouring nation for next month’s Davis Cup tie in case the International Tennis Federation (ITF) rejects its request to shift the matches to a neutral venue.
It has been learnt that the AITA won’t force any player to travel to Pakistan and is willing to send even a second-string team to avoid suspension, relegation and fine by the ITF.
If the ITF itself shifts the tie a neutral venue, all top players are expected to make themselves available except Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who is getting married on November 29, the opening day of matches.
The tie was originally scheduled to be held in Islamabad on Sept.14-15 but was postponed to Nov. 29-30 by the ITF after a security review.
The AITA is consistently writing to the world governing body to shift the tie to a neutral venue, citing security concerns.
AITA’s office-bearers assembled on Tuesday at the DLTA for a meeting, also attended by Bhupathi, and decided to at least start the visa process and keep pushing for a neutral venue.
A decision is expected on Nov.4 and depending on that the AITA will make a call. A few players and non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi have already expressed apprehensions about travelling to Pakistan.
“A lot can change in the next 20 days. But AITA has to send team because AITA can’t afford to pay a hefty fine for forfeiting the tie. It could be least Rs.1 crore. And the team will could be suspended and then relegated. So it will take four years to be at the level where we stand today. This is not good for future generation of players,” the source said.
As of now India are at a stage where if it beats Pakistan, which is the most likely result considering the strength of the hosts, the team will advance to the Davis Cup Qualifiers.
From Qualifiers, the Indian team has a chance to make the newly-introduced World Groups. But if the team forfeits the tie, India could be handed a suspension of one or two years and relegated to Asia/Oceania Group III.
This post was published on October 16, 2019 4:05 pm