India and Pakistan are once again drawn to face each other in the Davis Cup, but this time, the choice of venue lies in Pakistan’s hands. The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) president, Saifullah Khan, has firmly stated that Pakistan will not play the tie at a neutral venue and is determined to host the event on their home turf.
In 2019, due to strained bilateral ties, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) had approved India’s request to shift their Davis Cup Asia Group 1 tie to a neutral venue, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. However, this time around, PTF’s stance is resolute, and they are adamant about hosting the tie within Pakistan.
“We won’t play in a neutral venue. If India does not want to come (to Pakistan), we will not play this tie. We will play on grass courts, and the Indians are a better team. And in February-March, the weather is lovely in Islamabad,” declared Saifullah Khan.
During the previous neutral venue encounter in 2019, Pakistan’s top players, Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan, had refused to participate in protest. As a result, a second-string Pakistan team faced India, resulting in a 4-0 victory for the Indian side. Pakistan managed to win only seven games across the four matches and just three across the three singles rubbers.
Despite the possibility of India convincing the ITF to move the tie to a neutral venue, Pakistan remains unwavering in its decision. “They should come to Pakistan. It’s not fair that they do not come to Pakistan,” emphasized Khan. “The Indian team is much better than us. We have a beautiful hotel just across the stadium. If Indians come, it will send a good message that we are good neighbors.”
It’s worth noting that the last time India played a Davis Cup tie in Pakistan was in 1964, resulting in a 4-0 victory for India. To date, Pakistan has not managed to defeat India in any of the eight Davis Cup ties contested between the two nations.
India, having slipped to the third tier of the premier team tennis competition, recently defeated Morocco 4-1 on home soil in Lucknow. This tie marked the retirement of doubles veteran Rohan Bopanna, who ended his Davis Cup career with a straight-set win.
On the other hand, Pakistan secured their place in the playoffs by defeating Indonesia 4-0 in the World Group 2 tie held on the grass courts of Islamabad—the same venue they aim to host India for the upcoming Davis Cup clash.