Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi says he will meet with Davis Cup officials this week to plead Pakistan's case after the team was disqualified from its Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group II tie last weekend against New Zealand due to unsuitable playing conditions.
The referee awarded the tie to New Zealand, 4-1, after ruling that the grass court that they were playing on in Yangon, Myanmar, was dangerous and unplayable. Because the tie had been a designated a home tie for Pakistan, which is unable to host matches due to security concerns, the victory was awarded New Zealand.
Pakistan Tennis Federation president Kaleem Imam said Sunday that the referee’s decision was a disaster
"Our manager said the players were very distraught after the referee's decision,” he told Reuters. "We spent thousands of dollars on preparing for this tie and sending a full-fledged squad to Yangon. We were desperate to win this tie and confident we could do it. We had no option but to complain to the ITF."
New Zealand captain Alistair Hunt told the New Zealand Herald that there was a hole on the court, which was an inch deep and half a foot wide, and “it was dangerous and someone was going to hurt themselves.”
But Qureshi said at a press conference that he would keep pursing the matter.
"I am not giving up on this issue because we were treated unjustly," he said. “I will apprise the Davis Cup officials of what actually happened and how the condition of the grass court was damaged after the first singles and outside the playing area. I am positive of a solution as the tie was unfairly awarded against us.”