December 17, 2002	Tuesday	Shawwal 12, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) officials were on Monday awaiting a decision on venue of their Asia Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie against New Zealand with bated breath.

The Feb 7-9 fixture, originally to be played in Lahore, was moved to New Zealand last week by the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) Davis Cup committee because of security concerns.

Pakistan reacted quickly, calling for a review of the decision which it felt was unwarranted. The country’s tennis chief Syed Dilawar Abbas told Dawn that a meeting of the Cup bosses was expected either Monday evening or Tuesday.

“Once a final decision is made, only then can we decide on a future course of action,” he said when asked if neutral venue was an option. “We have been offered the right to host the next two ties but we are insisting on having this one.”

Meanwhile New Zealand have told the ITF that they will hold the Cup tie in Hamilton on synthetic surface.