India-US Davis Cup tie postponed

CHENNAI, SEPT. 14. The Davis Cup World Group qualifying tie between India and the United States, scheduled to be held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, from September 21 to 23, has been postponed because of the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington DC that have virtually paralysed the world's strongest nation.

After two days of lengthy discussions involving Anil Khanna, Secretary, All India Tennis Association, and the officials of the United States Tennis Association, all of whom are in Cacun, Mexico, attending the annual general meeting of the International Tennis Federation, the decision to postpone the tie was made on Friday.

Fresh dates for the tie have not been agreed upon and these will be announced shortly, after they are approved by the International Tennis Federation.

The request for postponement had come from the USTA but the development suits the Indian team as well with Leander Paes, the spearhead of the side, stuck in Mumbai and unable to make it to the United States.

``At a time like this we had to agree to the postponement,'' said Ramesh Krishnan, non playing captain of the Indian team, talking on telephone to The Hindu from Washington.

Ramesh said that the USTA had suggested that the tie be played at the same venue from October 12 to 14 but this was unlikely to suit the interests of the Indian team. ``We have to talk to Leander and Mahesh (Bhupathi) and see what's on their minds. I would think the boys would be happy to play sometime in November,'' said Ramesh.

Given the fact that nobody is quite sure as to when some sort of normalcy would be re-established vis a vis air travel to and from the United States, it may not make sense to reschedule the tie for the second week of October.

``Mr.Anil Khanna is talking to the USTA officials and the ball is now in his court,'' said Ramesh. Dr. Vece Paes, Leander's father and the team doctor, said from Kolkata on telephone that there was very little chance that his son could have made it to the venue in time if the tie had not been put off.

``Now we have to look at what is the best time to play for both parties. I am sure both associations will agree upon a set of dates pretty soon,'' said Dr. Paes.

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