Indian tennis authorities on Thursday dismissed Australian requests to have their Davis Cup tie moved as sports teams show increasing wariness about travelling to the country. Australias spokesman Nick Imison told the Times of India that he had asked for the tie to be re-arranged after the high-profile Indian Premier League cricket series was shifted to South Africa.
The IPL was moved this week after the Indian government declined to release adequate police and paramilitary forces for the tournament as the dates clashed with month-long general elections.
Ranbir Chauhan, an All India Tennis Association (AITA) official, said that Australias fears over the May 8-10 fixture in Chennai were completely unfounded. "There is no problem," he said. "We hosted a very successful Chennai Open in January. We will be using the same stadium, the same hotel and the same security agency for the Davis Cup tie. "We also have government support. Thats why we chose Chennai over other venues. It is absolutely safe."
The AITA had replied to a security questionnaire sent by the International Tennis Federation last week and a final decision would be made soon, Chauhan added. "Security is of utmost importance," Imison told the Times after Australias star player Lleyton Hewitt expressed concern about playing in India due to the recent militant attacks on Sri Lankan cricketers in neighbouring Pakistan.
The Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I third-round tie, which sends the winner into the play-offs for the elite World Group, is to be held at the Nungambakkam Tennis Centre in Chennai.
The matches end three days before the southern state of Tamil Nadu, of which Chennai is the capital, votes in the elections on May 13. Australia, who won the last of their 28 Davis Cup titles in 2003, were forced to play in the Asia-Oceania zone after losing to Chile 3-2 in the World Group play-offs last year. Two British badminton players have also declined to travel to the Indian Open championships underway in Hyderabad.
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