PRESS N0TE NO.101 DATE.16.08.2010 CEREMONY FOR DRAWAL OF LOT FOR DAVIS CUP TOURNAMENT BETWEEN BRAZIL AND INDIA ON 16-9-2010 SPEECH BY HON.BLE CHIEF MINISTER OF TAMIL NADU Thiru Jorge Rosa,President, Brazilian Tennis Association, Thiru M A Alagappan, President of TNTA, Thiru Ismail El Shafei, International Tennis Federation, Thiru Karthi P. Chidambaram, Chairman Organizing Committee, Thiru Anil Khanna, secretary General, All India Tennis Association and Friends. I am proud and happy, that the Davis Cup has returned to Chennai, after 31 years. SDAT Stadium Chennai is hosting the Davis Cup World Group play-off between India and Brazil from September 17th to 19th. The last time Chennai played host to the Davis Cup was in 1979 when India played Australia at the Madras Gymkhana Club. A whole new generation of tennis lovers all over the world will get to experience the 1 magic of the Davis Cup to be hosted at this historic city of Chennai. We have come a long way from the olden days, when matches were played on wooden stands — and temporary clay courts! Now we have world class stadia in Tamil Nadu for most of the games. By holding the Chennai Open Tennis Tournament year after year the Government of Tamil Nadu strives to fulfil its role as a facilitator for placing Chennai and Tamil Nadu in the World atlas as a preferred hub for International Sports. I am happy to learn that India will be represented by Som Devvarman who grew up in Chennai, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Rohan Bopanna. I specially congratulate Leander Paes for completing 20 years of playing in the Davis Cup. The Brazilian team, consisting of Thomaz Belluci and Ricardo Mello, and the doubles pairing of Bruno Soares and Melo has all the best wishes from me and all the Tennis lovers of Tamil Nadu. Issued : Director, PR section, St.George Fort. 2 ------- 3 .