Australia may boycott India Davis Cup tie following Chennai being declared safe

Melbourne, Apr 24 (ANI): Australia's Davis Cup team has been ordered to play India in Chennai, triggering fears of a boycott.

The International Tennis Federation today decided that Chennai is a safe venue for the May 8-10 Davis Cup tie.

Tennis Australia is today considering its next move, after an appeal failed to have the tie shifted, The Herald Sun reported.

One of the options is a boycott of the tie, a move, which would see Australia heavily, penalised.

It is highly unlikely Lleyton Hewitt and Chris Guccione would make any trip to Chennai.

Meanwhile, Hewitt is prepared to play in India for the Davis Cup zonal tie, his handlers have confirmed.

Hewitt's management dismissed reports from the subcontinent quoting an Indian federation official as saying the Aussie top gun had withdrawn over security fears.

Indian officials said that Hewitt could not be bothered to interrupt his European clay-court season to travel to the subcontinent, charges which the Australian's handlers dismiss.

"He (the official) would see that Lleyton has always placed playing for his country ahead of his own individual tournament play," Hewitt's management told Melbourne media.

"Lleyton has been committed to playing this tie since it was announced and certainly has not placed any clay-court plans ahead of his participation."

Tennis Australia was seeking a change of venue to Singapore over the security issues after the ITF said conditions were safe to play. (ANI)