Davis Cup: After 55-years India’s Tennis team set to tour Pakistan in September
The Pakistan Tennis Federation is all set to host Indian tennis team for the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-I tie after a gap of 55 years in September, with the winners sealing a place in the 2020 Qualifiers.
An Indian team will travel to Pakistan for a Davis Cup tie in September, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) has said, despite strained relations between the nations.
The Pakistan Tennis Federation is all set to host Indian tennis team for the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-I tie after a gap of 55 years in September, with the winners sealing a place in the 2020 Qualifiers.
Pakistan team comprises of: Aisam ul Haq(57), Aqeel Khan(1603), Mohammad Abid Mushtaq(1437), Muzammil Murtaza(1491) and Muddassar Murtaza for the Davis Cup tie against top seeded India on September 14 and 15 at the Pakistan Sports Complex grass courts, Islamabad.
All India Tennis Association (AITA) is yet to announce the final squad for the seventh meeting between the two neighbouring countries. The 6 member team will officially be announced later, and it will be based on rankings,” said Chatterjee. “But we more or less know the team.”
Davis Cup captain Mahesh Bhupathi and coach Zeeshan Ali will most likely choose India’s top-three ranked men’s singles players, Prajnesh Gunneswaran (ranked 88), Ramkumar Ramanathan (185) and Sumit Nagal (207). Sole India’s top-two ranked doubles specialists Rohan Bopanna (45) and Divij Sharan (46) will also be included.
Indian team last visited Pakistan in March 1964 and defeated the hosts by 4-0 in Lahore. Later on, Pakistan and India had faced each other in a Davis Cup ties in April 2006 in Mumbai, India. Pakistan has already played ties against teams from Uzbekistan, South Korea and Thailand at the Pakistan Sports Complex grass courts, Islamabad in 2017 and 2018.
International Tennis Federation’s security experts have declared Islamabad and the Pakistan Sports Complex fit to host the Asia Oceania Davis Cup Zone I tie between the hosts and India on September 14-15.
“Our visit is not confined to Pakistan only. In fact, we are to travel to other countries also where the Asia Oceania Zone I ties are scheduled. It is a normal routine for high profile Davis Cup ties and the one between Pakistan and India is not an ordinary one,” Gallagher, a former Royal Army officer, said.
Both believed that Islamabad was ideal for such international events.
“This is my first visit to Pakistan. My two-day stay so far here and the experience I got is in sharp contrast to what I have been hearing all these years,” Gallagher said.
