Pakistan to lodge protest over Davis Cup default

ISLAMABAD (AFP) –

Aqeel Khan of Pakistan hits a return against Artem Sitak of New Zealand during their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group II tennis match in Yangon on April 5, 2013.

Pakistan on Saturday said it would protest to tennis authorities over a referee’s decision to award a Davis Cup tie to New Zealand because of an unplayable court surface at a neutral venue.

The Asia Oceania group II tie was played in Yangon, Myanmar after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) declared the security situation in Pakistan was not conducive to host the second round matches.

Pakistan were leading 1-0 on Friday after Aqeel Khan defeated New Zealand’s Artem Sitak 7-5 3-6 6-2 7-5 and Pakistan’s Aisam-ul Haq Qureshi was leading in the second singles when Sri Lankan referee Ashita Ajigala stopped the match.

The referee declared the tie as abandoned and awarded it to New Zealand as the courts were Pakistan’s responsibility, a decision Pakistan Tennis Federation president Kaleem Imam said was unjust.

“We are devastated at the decision,” Imam told AFP. “If the surface had any problems why didn’t the referee tell us before the tie started, or why did he allow the first match to go on.

“We are going to lodge a protest against the decision.”

Pakistan has been forced to play their home ties on neutral venues since 2010 after all international sports were suspended in the country following terrorists attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009.

Imam said Pakistan has already been suffering because of no home matches.

“We have not been able to play at home and now after we chose to play in Myanmar, this untoward incident has taken place. This has left my players devastated and we will follow this matter through our protest,” said Imam.