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Australia to appeal Davis Cup venue choice

April 19, 2009 20:05 IST

Tennis Australia will appeal the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) decision to confirm Chennai as the venue for next month's Davis Cup tie between India and Australia, citing security concerns, local media reported.

Security worries have grown around sporting events in south Asia following the ambush on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore, Pakistan, by armed gunmen last month.

India also remains nervous after Islamist militants killed 166 people in a strike on Mumbai last November.

The ITF confirmed on Saturday the Asia-Oceania Group I second round encounter would take place on May 8-10 in Chennai after a "positive report from the ITF's security consultants".

Tennis Australia (TA), which had been seeking to have the tie moved out of India to a neutral venue, would appeal the decision on Monday, with a decision expected within the week, Australian media reported on Sunday.

TA did not immediately return calls.

TA had been seeking to have the tie moved as it was being staged during India's elections, which have already prompted the IPL cricket tournament to be moved to South Africa as the government said it could not provide adequate security for both.

The Indian tennis federation had already said it would hire private security consultants for the tie.

Source: REUTERS
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