Sweden's reservations over the quality of the grass court laid for the Davis Cup World Group Play-off against India came out in the open on Monday with the visiting captain Mats Wilander terming the tie a "bad propaganda" for the sport.
"In terms of propaganda for tennis, this tie was a bad one. Back home (in Sweden) people would perhaps be wondering why are they playing on such bad courts," Wilander said citing injuries to players, like the one sustained by India's Rohan Bopanna in the singles against Thomas Johansson.
The non playing captain said this was the reason why certain basic standards needed to be adopted with regard to the playing surface and also called for heat rule to be adopted in Davis Cup competitions considering the health of the players.
Sweden maintained their stranglehold over India with a 3-1 victory in the qualifier and confirmed their berth in the elite World Group.
Bopanna put up a brave performance in the second singles against world number 14 Thomas Johansson while losing the match in three tie-breaks, 6-7, (3), 6-7 (2), 6-7 (4).
But the Indian twisted his left ankle while going for a return of serve, resulting in a torn tendon and would be out of action for at least three weeks.
"Bopanna didn't even run, just took one step. It could happen to two people and their career could be affected," Wilander, a former world number one and eight-time Grand Slam champion, said.
"The ITF has to look into it. We probably need to have the heat rule as well. We have it in the Australian Open, why not in the Davis Cup?" Wilander said.
"Prakash (Amritraj) could not cope (in the reverse singles) and would have been hospitalised," said Wilander referring to the medical time-out Amritraj needed during the second set.
"There needs to be guidelines for the safety of the players. Just can't risk somebody's health like that. To me it was not sport."
Asked if the Indian or other teams had the right to ask for a "cold rule" as when they played in China in sub-zero temperatures, Wilander said, "if that is the case, then you have a point."
"It is the same for everyone, the point is there has to be basic standard guidelines."
Johansson, who was playing his first Cup tie on grass, slammed the quality of the courts. "These are the worst courts I have ever played on," said the 2002 Australian Open champion.
Johansson referred to couple of breakpoints which he could not convert against Amritraj. "Normally when facing second serve you are under control but here you cannot be so sure," he said.
Five-time doubles Grand Slam champion Jonas Bjorkman said tongue in cheek, "perhaps the Indian guys had more problems with the heat than we did."
