Following a review of eligible venues, the International Tennis Federation has announced that the final of the 2008 Davis Cup between Argentina and Spain will be hosted at the Islas Malvinas Indoor Stadium in Mar del Plata.

While the Islas Malvinas Indoor Stadium does not have the 12,000 capacity required by the ITF, it was chosen ahead of the Stadio Orfeo in Cordoba due to the fact that providing additional seating creates fewer logistical problems.

“This was one of the most challenging decisions we have made during my more than a decade-long tenure on the Davis Cup Committee,” said Juan Margets, chairman of the ITF panel told reporters.

The ITF decision satisfies the primary goal of the Argentinean Tennis Federation – to avoid playing the Spaniards on their preferred clay surface. The Spaniards will now have to beat Argentina on indoor carpet courts if they wish to take the Davis Cup title.

“There were many factors to consider,” Margets concluded. ‘In the end, the committee unanimously felt that Mar del Plata was the most appropriate venue for the 2008 final.”