Hong Kong have withdrawn from their Davis Cup tie against Pakistan in Islamabad next month citing security concerns, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said Tuesday. The southern Chinese city had previously challenged a decision by the Davis Cup Committee for Pakistan to host the second-round tie on April 7-9, but an independent tribunal ruled it should go ahead.

"The ITF regrets and respectfully disagrees with the decision of Hong Kong, China to default its upcoming Davis Cup tie against Pakistan," the ITF said in a statement. It added that it takes "the security of all players, team personnel, officials and spectators very seriously".

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2017