Chennai: The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has declared India the winner of next month's Davis Cup tie in Chennai after Tennis Australia (TA) said it would not send a team due to security fears.
The ITF said it regretted TA's decision, adding that a decision over any sanctions would be made in due course.
Under Davis Cup rules, Australia could be banned from the competition for 12 months and face a substantial fine.
"The ITF regrets and respectfully disagrees with the decision of Tennis Australia to default its upcoming Davis Cup tie against India," the ITF said in a statement on the Davis Cup website (www.daviscup.com).
"By virtue of its decision not to send a team to compete against India, Australia has forfeited the tie. India is declared the winner and will advance to the Davis Cup World Group Play-offs, scheduled for 18-20 September."
The statement added: "The Davis Cup Committee in due course will decide any sanctions to be assessed against Australia according to the regulations of the 2009 competition."
On Friday the ITF rejected an appeal from TA to move the May 8-10 Asia/Oceania group I tie from Chennai because of security concerns.
Australia said yesterday it would not send a team, thus forfeiting the match.
"We asked for the tie to be moved because we have major security concerns for the players, particularly during the (Indian) election," Tennis Australia (TA) president Geoff Pollard said in a statement.
"The ITF decision has left us with no other option. We cannot send the team. It is extremely disappointing. It would be irresponsible of us to send our players into an area of such high risk.
"Davis Cup is very important to us but some things are more important than tennis," Pollard said.
Pollard added the ITF and India could not meet a list of security requirements it had sought for the Australian team, with their concerns heightened because of the month-long Indian general elections.
Fears about security in South Asia and the spectre of sports teams being targets for militants were heightened after the Mumbai attacks in November and an armed assault on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan in March.
Should Australia proceed with their boycott, they will likely face suspension from the 2010 competition and a $100,000 fine.
It could also spell the end of 28-year-old Lleyton Hewitt's stellar Davis Cup career, according to his manager David Drysdale.
"It could easily happen. He will consider his response but this could spell the end of his Cup career, which would be disappointing," Drysdale said of Hewitt, who has won more Davis Cup singles matches than any other Australian.
Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald said he was angry and upset with the ITF.
"It is just irresponsible. Surely some thought must be given to the players' safety?" Fitzgerald said.
