ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tennis Federtion (PTF) on Sunday said it would protest to international tennis authorities over a referee’s decision to award Pakistan’s Davis Cup tie to New Zealand because of an unplayable court surface at a neutral venue.
The Asia Oceania Group II tie was played in Yangon, Myanmar after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) declared the security situation in Pakistan was not conducive to host the second round matches.Pakistan’s Aqeel Khan won the first singles rubber against Artem Sitak while Aisam Qureshi was leading Dan King-Turner 3-0 in the third set of the second when the tie was abandoned.
The referee declared the tie as abandoned and awarded it to New Zealand as the courts were Pakistan’s responsibility, a decision PTF president Kaleem Imam said was unjust. “We are devastated at the decision,” Kaleem said. “If the surface had any problems why didn’t the referee tell us before the tie started, or why did he allow the first match to go on? “We are going to lodge a protest against the decision.”
Pakistan has been forced to play their home ties on neutral venues since 2010 after all international sports were suspended in the country following terrorists’ attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore in March 2009. Kaleem said Pakistan had already been suffering because of no home matches. “We have not been able to play at home and now after we chose to play in Myanmar, this untoward incident has taken place. This has left my players devastated and we will follow this matter through our protest,” said the PTF chief. – DailyTimes
