KARACHI: Pakistan’s tennis chiefs are hoping that their top players will compensate for the “disappointing” switching of a Davis Cup tie against Oman by giving a forceful showing in it this March.
Senator Dilawar Abbas, the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) president, told Arab News in an interview that he was confident that Pakistan will comprehensively beat Oman in the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group-II opener in Muscat.
“We have some very good and experienced players in the Davis Cup squad and are confident that they would beat Oman in Oman,” said Dilawar.
Pakistan were looking forward to whitewashing Oman in the Davis Cup clash on home soil but were left protesting when the International Tennis Federation (ITF) shifted the March 6-8 tie from Lahore to Muscat.
The London-based ITF had to move the tie out of Pakistan after its Davis Cup committee said that the security situation in the country was not conducive for international matches.
Pakistan protested against the decision and urged the ITF to switch the tie to a neutral venue like Malaysia or Singapore, besides asking for $60,000 compensation.
Their request for a neutral venue was later turned down by the ITF which said that it would look into the compensation claiming a meeting in March.
The ITF decision means that instead of playing on their favorite grass courts in the heart of Lahore, Pakistani players will have to face Oman on hard courts in Muscat.
“The home advantage is gone,” lamented Dilawar. “But thankfully we have players, who are good enough to win the away tie against Oman,” he added.
Pakistan are pinning their hopes in Aisam-ul-Haq — their most accomplished tennis player. A grass court specialist, Aisam led Pakistan to the World Group play-offs in 2005 but since then the national Davis Cup team is struggling to regain its place in the Group-I list.
Together with Aqeel Khan — the reigning Pakistan No.1 — Aisam forms a strong team that has beaten top regional nations like Thailand, China and New Zealand in the past.
“Both Aisam and Aqeel are two very experienced players and we hope that they would do well in Oman,” said Dilawar.
Aisam is currently in England on a training stint while Aqeel is to prepare for the Muscat assignment along with other leading players.
The PTF has decided to exempt Aisam and Aqeel from Davis Cup trials which will be held next month. “We will select our four-man team for the Davis Cup match in the third week of February,” said the PTF chief.
