The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday sought the Sports Ministry’s advice on the national team’s travel to Pakistan for the Davis Cup World Group 1 Play-off tie against the neighbours in Islamabad in February next year. The AITA’s move came after the International Tennis Federation Tribunal rejected its request to shift the tie to a neutral venue.
”We have asked for Sports Ministry’s advice as to what the policy is on travelling to Pakistan. It’s the World Cup of tennis. We are awaiting a reply,” AITA Secretary General Anil Dhupar told PTI.
The tie is scheduled to be played at the Pakistan Sports Complex on February 3 and 4. Dhupar had earlier told PTI that the AITA would approach the Sports Ministry on Monday and seek guidance if they can send a team.
India and Pakistan were last drawn against each other in 2019 and the tie was scheduled to take place across the border as the Indians had hosted the previous encounter in Mumbai in 2006. However, the AITA managed to shift the tie to a neutral venue, Kazakhstan, citing political tensions between the two countries.
The Indian Davis Cup team last travelled to Pakistan way back in 1964 when Akhtar Ali, Premjit Lall and SP Misra helped the visitors win the tie 4-0 in Lahore. The Indian cricket team last toured Pakistan in 2006 but since then the two sides have not played a bilateral series for more than a decade due to diplomatic tensions between the neighbouring nations.
