Trials for Davis Cup on Feb 24

KARACHI: Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) will hold trials for Davis Cup tie against China on February 24 and a camp will be established in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan, ranked 37th, are playing their Group-1 Asia/Oceania Zone tie against China, ranked 32nd, at the neutral venue of Sri Lanka from March 4-6.

“We will hold trials on the 24th of February. Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan are exempted from trials,” said PTF secretary Khalid Rehmani while talking to ‘The News’. “We will try to send the team on the 26th to Sri Lanka where we will hold a camp to acclimatise our players with the conditions there,” he added.

He added that Pakistan had 30 percent chances of winning on clay courts.

PTF submitted the option of this venue to International Tennis Federation (ITF) as its second priority after ITF had rejected its appeal to allow the tie to be held in Pakistan. PTF was looking for grass courts that suit its players best but couldn’t find any in either Bangladesh or India.

Meanwhile, former non-playing captain of Pakistani Davis Cup team Hameed-ul-Haq has said China would have to come out of its comfort zone and the special clay courts in Sri Lanka might help Pakistan.

“Apparently, Pakistan have low chances of winning this tie because Chinese players are very fit and high-ranked in international circuit. Yet, the clay courts could provide help to our players and they may click,” added Hameed.

Pakistan are back in Group I for the first time since 2006. The Chinese clung onto their place with a relegation play-off win over Thailand in September. This will be the sixth meeting between the two teams. China won the last encounter 5-0 in 2006.