Belgian tennis chiefs hold crisis meeting over Fed Cup

BRUSSELS, July 20 (Reuters) Belgium tennis chiefs are meeting to resolve a number of issues surrounding the country's hosting of the Fed Cup final against Italy later this year, particularly the threatened absence of Justine Henin-Hardenne.

The French Open champion's coach Carlos Rodriguez said the player was unlikely to take part because of what he described as the shocking treatment she received following her withdrawal from last weekend's semi-final win against the United States.

The presidents of the Royal Belgian Tennis Federation (RBTF) and the Flemish and Francophone tennis associations are also looking into moving the final to a more prestigious location than Charleroi, the city originally chosen.

''The location of the final has not been settled,'' an RBTF official said today, ahead of the midday meeting.

Rodriguez insisted that Henin-Hardenne had informed team captain Carl Maes about her decision to pull out of the tie a day after her Wimbledon final loss to Amelie Mauresmo, a week before the semi-final, but Maes said nothing publicly for a number of days.

Henin-Hardenne had also been encouraged to cheer her compatriots on at the tie and then urged not to attend as the crowd could have turned against her.

''Justine will not participate under these conditions,'' Rodriguez said on his player's Web site.

TOP 20 Belgium are likely to struggle in the September 16-17 final if Henin-Hardenne opts against competing as the Italian team features two top-20 players in Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta.

Kim Clijsters is second in the world but Belgian number three Kirsten Flipkens is ranked a lowly 122nd.

In an open letter published on Wednesday, Maes said he had kept quiet about the world number three's absence to avoid giving the US a competitive advantage.

He had also feared that some of the Ostend crowd might have shown their dissatisfaction over Henin-Hardenne's withdrawal if she showed up at the arena.

The port town is in Dutch-speaking Flanders while Henin-Hardenne is from the Francophone area of Wallonia.

Relations between Belgium's two dominant regions are often frosty.

Maes also expressed a wish that Belgium should host the final at an appropriate national venue, rather than switching from region to region.

REUTERS DH PM1632