Pakistan star player to fight Davis Cup case
Pakistan tennis star Aisam-ul Haq Qureshi Wednesday said he would
fight Pakistan’s case after a referee’s decision to award a Davis Cup
tie to New Zealand because of an unplayable court surface at a neutral
venue.
Qureshi, 33, the country’s first player to reach a Grand Slam doubles
final, was part of the squad that faced New Zealand in an Asia Oceania
group II tie, which was shifted to Myanmar over security fears in
Pakistan. Pakistan were leading 1-0 on Friday and Qureshi was ahead in
the second singles match when Sri Lankan referee Ashita Ajigala stopped
the match and awarded the tie to New Zealand, as the courts were
Pakistan’s responsibility.
The Pakistan Tennis Federation had already announced it was lodging a
protest with the International Tennis Federation (ITF), but Qureshi said
he would meet Davis Cup officials in London to present the team’s case.
“I am leaving for London and will meet Davis Cup officials on Friday to
put Pakistan’s case before them and I am positive of a solution as the
tie was unfairly awarded against us,” Qureshi told a press conference.
“It seemed the referee was not working for the ITF but for New
Zealand and he was clearly partial and unjust.” The area declared
unplayable was outside the lines of the court, he added. Qureshi paired
with India’s Rohan Bopanna, dubbed the “Indo-Pak express”, to reach the
final of US Open doubles in 2010, where they lost to the American Bryan
brothers.
AFP
|