Davis Cup | Indian team doubtful of Pakistan tour after Pulwama terror attack

AITA had recently received a request from Pakistan who asked if they could host one of the Davis Cup ties in Islamabad. However, the recent terror attack in Kashmir seemed to have thrown the plan off gear with the Indian contingent unwilling to visit their neighbours and AITA has been forced to rethink the alternatives.

“Pakistan Tennis Federation has approached us regarding hosting a the Davis Cup tie in Islamabad,” the report in Scroll quoted an unnamed source close to AITA. 

“Pakistan is a developing Tennis nation just like us, however, considering the recent terror attacks that have taken place in Kashmir, we will have to rethink of our strategy for next month’s Cup Tie. We will have a meeting later next week to decide this.” they added.

PTF, on Monday, had announced that it would host the tie in Islamabad. Their president Salim Saifullah Khan had even confirmed that it would be played on a grass court.

“The International Tennis Federation has acknowledged Pakistan’s surge to the top in Asia and thus has included the team amongst the best in the continent. The leading teams in Asia will have the opportunity to make it to the World Group,” he had said.

However, bilateral sporting events between the two countries have been a rare sight since the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai although Pakistan’s hockey team was allowed to visit India for the Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar last year after much ado. The recent terror-strike would more than likely further hinder the sporting ties between the neighbouring nations to a greater extent.