Khalid Hussain
 

KARACHI: Pakistan’s security agencies have instructed the country’s tennis chiefs to drop the idea of using the Indian city of Chandigarh as neutral venue for their Davis Cup semifinal against Philippines in April this year.

Reliable sources told ‘The News’ on Thursday that the an intelligence agency has told the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) to give up the idea of taking their Davis Cup match to India because of “security concerns”.

“The PTF has been told in clear words that the idea of hosting Pakistan’s Davis Cup tie in India wasn’t a good idea,” said a source. “They (intelligence officials) are of the view that Pakistani players, officials and fans can face various problems if the match takes place on Indian soil,” he added.

According to the source, the PTF has given up the idea of requesting the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow Pakistan to stage the April 6-8 Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-II semifinal against the Philippines in Chandigarh.

Last week, the PTF had floated the idea of hosting the match in Chandigarh following fears that the ITF will relocate the match to Manila, where playing conditions heavily favour the home team.

Since Pakistan have played their last two Davis Cup ties against Philippines in Manila, it is their turn to host April’s best-of-five encounter. However, there is all likelihood that Philippines will refuse to visit Pakistan because of security fears.

Pakistan’s first-choice venue for the match is Lahore – a happy hunting ground for the country’s tennis players.

“We will almost certainly win if the tie is played in Lahore,” Rashid Malik, Pakistan’s Davis Cup coach, told ‘The News’. “But Manila could be a different story because the conditions are so different.”

Pakistan have never beaten the Filipinos in their backyard in three Davis Cup ties played between the two teams in Manila. In 2007, Pakistan had to give up their hosting rights because of security fears only to play and lose their Davis Cup tie 1-4 in Manila. In 2009, facing a similar situation Pakistan lost 2-3 to the Philippines at the same venue.

Kalim Imam, PTF’s president, has said that Pakistan will make all possible efforts to host the tie in Lahore. “We will make all possible efforts to retain the right to host the tie.” The neutral options being mulled over by the PTF include Dubai and London. “We can even host the tie at Wimbledon provided the ITF backs us,” said Imam.