Houston, Nov 15: Under attack and boycotted by top players, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) defended its decision on stage next week's Fed Cup final in Moscow. Ever since the Russian capital was chosen over Belgium in August as site of the Fed Cup climax, the ITF has fended off criticism while trying to drum up interest in a competition that will be without the sport's top names.

Last week, semi-finalists France said the decision to hold the Fed Cup in Russia was an ill-conceived blunder while many of the sport's top names declined invitations to the competition.

Belgium's top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne and world no. 2 Kim Clijsters have pulled out and their semi-final opponents, the United States, will be without the Williams sisters Venus and Serena, Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati. ''We value a lot the players participation but that participation should not depend on where the players want to play,'' ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti told.


''We regret this but the competition has its own value.''

Shortly after Moscow was picked ahead of Belgium, Clijsters hinted she would not participate and later withdrew from the competition. Bureau Report