ARP defers decision on World doubles

ARP defers decision on World doubles
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

Wimbledon, July 8: The ATP Tour board has deferred the decision on the allocation of the year-ending World Doubles Championships. Though the Championships have been given to India, whether it would go to Bangalore or Mumbai is a question left unanswered. A decision was expected at 8:30 pm Friday night, but did not materialise.

The two bidders are Paes en Sport, headed by Dr Vece Paes, in collaboration with Procam, and the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association, who have given the organisation and promotion of the event, if they get it, to CGK Bhupathi.

Vijay Amritraj is known to be campaigning actively for the latter here. Dr Paes said here on Saturday that the decision had been deferred by about a week, probably because the bids were running close and the fact that everyone was very involved in various happenings at the All-England Club.

CGK Bhupathi said he was quite confident that the bid would go to Bangalore, which also has the backing of the Karnataka government. The KSLTA secretary, Sundar Raju, is also in town and seemed convinced that Bangalore was the favourite.

Meanwhile, the world's most successful doubles pairing, Aussies Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, have announced this week that they will not be participating in the event, scheduled for November end. While Woodforde will probably retire after the Sydney Olympics, it is reported that Woodbridge's wife is expecting a baby around the first week of December.