Saeed Hai wants ITF to support Pakistan

KARACHI: Khawaja Saeed Hai knows a thing or two about the Davis Cup. A former Pakistan Davis Cup captain himself, Hai featured in several Davis Cup matches during his heyday.

Hai has had a long association with the Davis Cup, one of the biggest international sporting events in the world. That’s why the Pakistan tennis legend was anguished when the International Tennis Federation (ITF) took the controversial decision to switch the venue of Pakistan’s eagerly-anticipated Davis Cup tie against old rivals India.

“The tie between Pakistan and India which was supposed to take place on Pakistani soil would have helped build bridges between the two nations but by controversially shifting the venue of the match the ITF has done a disservice to tennis in this region,” Hai told ‘The News’.

“I do not appreciate the decision of ITF to shift the venue of the tie to a neutral country because it negates basic policy of friendship between nations. Pakistan had promised foolproof security and were lodging them (Indians) at the best and most secured hotel of Islamabad. So there was no excuse to shift the tie,” he said.

Pakistan were favourites to beat India for the first time on home soil but after the ITF moved the match to Kazakhstan they lost the home advantage. Their top players pulled out of the tie allowing India to comfortably win the match on neutral venue.

“In recent years many foreign teams have played Davis Cup ties in Pakistan and safely returned home with ITF referee and managers of those countries giving satisfactory remarks,” he says.

“Pakistan has always wanted to create friendship with India. The Indian Davis Cup team should have visited Islamabad without any fear. I think an opportunity for improving ties between the two countries was wasted.

“I personally appeal to ITF to compensate Pakistan for this wrong and damaging decision of shifting the tie out of our country. I believe that the ITF should support Pakistan,” said Hai.