LONDON: The ITF has announced that the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Group I event, due to take place next month at the Dongguan Tennis Centre in Dongguan, China, P.R., will now be played in the National Tennis Centre in Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), Kazakhstan.
The Asia/Oceania Group I contest has India, China, Indonesia, Korea, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan competing.
The decision to move the event to a different venue was taken due to increasing travel restrictions in China at the present time and followed consultation with independent security advisors.
The event will still take place on 4-8 February as originally scheduled. The two best-performing nations from the event will progress to the Fed Cup Play-Offs in April.
The National Tennis Centre in Nur-Sultan hosted the last edition of this event in 2019.
The coronavirus has killed at least 80 people and infected almost 2,000 since its discovery in the city of Wuhan.
“I am happy that better sense has prevailed. The health of our players is a priority. I am really relieved. The players were very jittery to travel to China,” India’s Fed Cup captain Vishal Uppal told PTI.
Sania unlikely to play
However, the Indian team is most likely to travel to Kazakhstan without Sania Mirza, who was forced to retire mid-way into her women’s doubles first round at the Australian Open due to a calf injury.
“We are monitoring. We will decide what to do in a few days,” said Sania’s father Imran Mirza, who also informed that Sania has been advised two to three weeks’ rest due to a tear in her right calf.
Sania, returning to circuit after a 27-month maternity break, had suffered an injury when she was preparing for her return.
She won the Hobart International with partner Nadiia Kichenok and probably aggravated the injury during her triumphant run, PTI reports.
“If Sania is not in our ranks, it will be a huge loss for us as a team. We want to do well. I have full faith in our players. She had told me that the calf looks bad. Let’s see,” added Uppal.
Sania had returned to the Indian Fed Cup team after four years.
This Fed Cup holds significance for Sania since not competing will make her ineligible to compete at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
