ITF won’t change Final venue.

Fed Cup News
By Etienne Stekelenburg
November 16 2003

The ITF organizing the Fed Cup Finals in Moscow is not willing to change the venue after top ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne and 2nd ranked Kim Clijsters decided not to play. The USA also will have to do without their best players. The players are not happy with the Fed Cup schedule and the location.

Also the French team expressed their feelings about the location the ITF has chosen to hold the semifinal and final for the Fed Cup. They said it was an ill-conceived blunder to hold the finals in Russia while so many top players had decided to decline the invitations to compete.

ITF’s president Francesco Ricci Bitti said that the ITF wants to have the best players in the Fed Cup competition but that its not for them to decide what the best place is to hold the competition. He explained that tennis has become a worldwide sport and business. The ITF has to do what they think is the best for the sport.

Having the finals played in Moscow seems to be a good idea while more and more people start to have an interest in tennis. Also both ATP and WTA have their successful tournaments held in Moscow.

"I regret the Williams sisters are not able to attend and that Kim and Justine played only in the first part. We regret this but the competition has its own value", the ITF president said.

Right after the Russian capital was chosen over a Belgian location Kim Clijsters had said that she would not play again. And indeed she later withdrew from the competition.

Ricci Bitti, who was disappointed with Clijsters’ decision, said that she was just ‘Ill-advised’ about the ITF’s choice. He said he didn’t understand the decision the Belgian players made since Russia is very interested in tennis.

They also organised successful Davis Cup competitions in Moscow and they were well attended. But he also came up with the same reasons why Clijsters is not longer playing Fed Cup. "The Fed Cup must close the gap on the Davis Cup but we have a model that we believe will be successful,"

Ricci Bitti said: "The Fed Cup is a little behind but we are working hard to change that. Players must realise they get so much from tennis that they must give something back”.