Flying start for tennis ace Aisam, four wins in squash at CWG

Updated at: 1613 PST,  Monday, October 04, 2010  NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s tennis ace Aisam-ul-Haq got off to a flying start at the Commonwealth Games as other four Pakistani players also won their matches in squash here on Monday. Aisam defeated Mugabe Duncan Kasumba of Uganda 6-2, 7-6 in straight sets. Aisam stormed into the lead in the first set, taking it easily with a 6-2 victory. The second set proved to be a much sterner test for Aisamul haq as his opponent matched him stride for stride. The set eventually went to a tie break. Aisam eventually won the second set to secure a 6-2, 7-6 victory. In squash, Pakistan’s four players registered victories as Aamir Atlas Khan defeated Colin Ramasra of Trinidad & Tobago and Farhan Mehboob beat his teammate Yasir Butt in second round. Earlier, Danish Atlas Khan outclassed Bruce Burrowes of Jamaica 11-1, 11-5, 11-2 while Aamir Atlas Khan beat Masud Rana of Bangladesh 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 and Farhan Mehboob thrashed Samuel Kyagulanyi of Uganda 11-3, 11-4, 11-8. Yasir Butt also won his first round.

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Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi Interview 20 September 2010

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Aisam, Bopanna to play fund-raiser

Aisam, Bopanna to play fund-raiser

Aisam and Bopanna react to a missed point during their match against Bob and Mike Bryan during the men's doubles final at the US Open tennis tournament in New York.—Reuters

“It is a great idea and I am thrilled to be part of it to help my people affected by the floods,” Aisam said at a hotel on Tuesday. 

Aisam is the first Pakistani who reached men’s and mixed doubles’ final of a grand slam. 

The event is being organised by a private media group in collaboration with the Times of India with a hope to create brotherhood and understanding among the people of Pakistan and India. 

“We had preliminary meetings with the organisers and we may hold the event in Dubai in December,” said Aisam. 

He said as Pakistan did not have big stadiums, Dubai can offer the best facilities for holding the match. 

“It can attract fans from Pakistan, India and some other countries and can help in raising sufficient funds,” he added. 

“We are working on the plan and it will be finalised in due course of time,” he said. 

The chief organiser of the match, Shahrukh Hasan, expressed hope that reasonable funds will be raised. 

“We want to help the flood victims through this fund-raiser and we hope it will be an instant success,” he said. 

Bryans beat Qureshi-Bopanna in US Open doubles final

Updated at: 2301 PST,  Friday, September 10, 2010  NEW YORK: Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and India's Rohan Bopanna, trying to inspire peace between their homelands, were beaten by US top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan in Friday's US Open men's doubles final. With United Nations ambassadors Hardeep Singh Puri of India and Abdullah Hussain Haroon of Pakistan sitting together cheering on the "Indo-Pak Express", Qureshi and Bopanna were beaten by the top-ranked duo 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4). The Bryans stretched their record ATP doubles title total to 65 with their third US Open crown and ninth Grand Slam title, two shy of the all-time record set by Australians Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde. Improving to 9-for-9 in doubles finals this year, the Bryans made a record 17th Slam doubles finals appearance against the determined Grand Slam doubles final debutantes. "This has been the best match we ever played," Bob Bryan said. "These guys played incredible. We had to step up and match their energy." Qureshi drew a standing ovation at Arthur Ashe Stadium after the match when he moved to bridge the religion and culture gap between Americans and Pakistanis. "I feel there's a very wrong perception of Pakistan as a terrorist country," Qureshi said. "We're a peace-loving country and we want peace as much as you all." Bopanna and Qureshi had bested the Bryans for the first time last month at Washington in their most recent prior meeting, the only loss the Bryans have suffered in 20 matches since Wimbledon. Bob Bryan became the first man in 28 years to win men's and mixed doubles crowns in the same US Open after teaming with compatriot Liezel Huber to claim the mixed title on Thursday over Qureshi and Czech Kveta Peschke. Qureshi, who dedicated his efforts to 21 million flood victims in Pakistan, apologized to his homeland for falling short twice in the finals. "Sorry I went down two days in a row," he said. "It was a close match. These guys just proved why they are number one in the world. The 'Indo-Pak Express' was running pretty great until we met these two guys." Bopanna, whose parents came from India to see him in the final, was pleased at the achievement of reaching the final. "It has been a great run for us," Bopanna said. "I'm really thankful Aisam is here playing with me." Qureshi and Bopanna, who won their first ATP doubles crown last February at Johannesburg, forced Mike Bryan to save a break point in the third game of the first set, which went to a tie-breaker. Bopanna blasted an ace to equalize at 5-5 but sent a forehand wide to give the Bryans a set point and was wide with a forehand service return to surrender the opening set, the first set he and Qureshi had dropped in the tournament. Mike Bryan saved two break points in the second game of the second set and held. The US duo grabbed a break chance on Bopanna in the next game, one saved by Qureshi with a forehand slam as he and Bopanna held. Bopanna blasted a forehand volley winner to set up a break point on Mike Bryan in the sixth game but the right-handed of the brothers hit a service winner and the US duo fought back to hold to 3-3. Bopanna sent a forehand volley wide in the 11th game for a break point, only the second mustered by the Bryans in the match, but the Indian saved it with a forehand smash as he and Qureshi held on the way to another tie-breaker. The Bryans won four of the last five points in the tie-break, capturing the match after 95 minutes when Mike Bryan blasted an ace. "This has been a dream. Right now this is the pinnacle," Mike Bryan said, adding in a nod to Qureshi and Bopanna that "they are great guys. They are going to be playing in these for a long time to come."

Qureshi falls in US Open mixed doubles final

Updated at: 0519 PST,  Friday, September 10, 2010

NEW YORK: Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi was thwarted in his first attempt to win a US Open doubles title when he and partner Kveta Peschke lost to Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan in Thursday's mixed doubles final. The US top seeds defeated Qureshi and his Czech partner 6-4, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the crown, Bryan's fourth US Open mixed doubles title in eight years, each of them coming with a different partner. "Too good. They were the better team," Qureshi said. Qureshi had hoped to win both the men's and mixed doubles titles in tribute to the 21 million flood victims in his homeland from a crisis that began six weeks ago. Qureshi and men's doubles partner Rohan Bopanna of India, a 16th-seeded duo trying to foster peace between their rival homelands, will face top seeds Bryan and his brother Mike in Friday's US Open final. "It has been tough times at home due to the flooding and the terrorist attacks," Qureshi said. "I'm glad Kveta was able to help me bring some good news to the people back home." Qureshi stared up at fans in the largest tennis stadium in the world and told the crowd, "I never ever will forget this moment for the rest of my life." Peschke, whom Qureshi called the most famous Czech woman in Pakistan, was proud of the effort by the duo in a first-time pairing. "It was amazing. It was a really great experience, first time together," she said. "Let's hope the next times are even better than this one." Bob Bryan said after the match he and his brother will donate to Pakistan flood relief, a cause for which aid has come at a painfully slow pace with only two-thirds of the United Nations goal of 460 million dollars raised to date. "Qureshi didn't know about it. I talked it over with my brother and my dad and we decided to do it," Bryan said. "I'll write a check right after the tournament." Bopanna and Qureshi's quest has won them many friends in the pro tennis world. "Mr. Qureshi is a great player. What him and Bopanna are doing for world peace is incredible," Bob Bryan said. "Those guys are great guys. Everyone in the locker room likes them." But the India-Pakistan combination has also earned respect for skills on the court as well as humanitarian goals. "This is a tough team. They are going to be around for a long time," said Bob Bryan. "I expect this to be one of our big rivals in the future. This is a sign of things to come." Huber praised the peace duo as well, saying, "I commend the boys for truly reaching out."

Aisam in men’s doubles final at US Open

Updated at: 0205 PST,  Thursday, September 09, 2010

NEW YORK: Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi has reached the US Open men's and mixed doubles finals and hopes to win both in tribute to the 21 million flood victims in his homeland. Qureshi and partner Rohan Bopanna of India, trying to foster peace between their rival homelands, advanced to the men's doubles final Wednesday by beating Argentina's Eduardo Schwank and Horacio Zaballos 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. The 16th-seeded duo will face US top seeds Mike and Bob Bryan in Friday's championship match, but Qureshi has already booked another title date. He and Czech partner Kveta Peschke have reached Thursday's mixed doubles final. "The only motivation I have for these two weeks is to get these titles for the people back home," Qureshi said. "I'm trying to send some positive news back home with the floods and everything." A flooding crisis began six weeks ago in Pakistan, the deluge devastation adding to the misery in an area already home to 1.7 million long-term Afghan refugees who have fled fighting in their neighbouring country. Adding to the nation's woes has been the disgrace of cricket stars Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, who were suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The three allegedly conspired to deliberately bowl no-balls at specific moments during last month's fourth Test against England at Lord's. Pakistan was also forced to play a Test series against Australia in England in July after international cricket in Pakistan was effectively suspended following an armed attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore last year. Qureshi has been quick to praise Bopanna's role in helping him try to win some glory for Pakistan's flood-hit people. "I want to thank Rohan for helping me in doing this," he said. "My partner has been great. I'm lucky to have him." Bopanna praised Qureshi for recovering from his mixed doubles semi-final Tuesday night to be at full strength to oust the South American duo and book a showdown with the Bryans. "All credit to him. He had all his energy up," Bopanna said. "It has been great to be friends on and off the court. I'm hoping I can help him take both titles back home and send some positive news to Pakistan. "I'm really looking forward to the finals against the Bryans. To be the best you have to beat the best."

Aisam in mixed doubles final at US Open

Updated at: 0514 PST,  Wednesday, September 08, 2010

NEW YORK: Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi set another precedent in the tennis history of Pakistan when he reached the final of the mixed doubles at the US Open for the first time in New York. Qureshi, who has teamed up with Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic, reached the final after defeating Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany and Mark Knowles of the Bahamas by 7-6 6-7. Qureshi is first Pakistani to qualify for the final of any Grand Slam

Aisam—first Pak player—to cruise into grand slam event

Updated at: 1110 PST,  Tuesday, September 07, 2010  NEW YORK: Pakistan’s ace tennis star Aisamul Haq clocked up another record to his credit in the history of Pakistani tennis by reaching into semi-finals of any grand slam event, Geo News reported Tuesday. Aisam reserved berth in semis of mixed doubles of US Open along with his partner Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic. Pak-Czech pair had a face-off against Gisela Dulko of Argentina and Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay. The first set was swept by the South American pair with an excellent show of game followed by the win of Pak-Czech pair in the second set. And, ultimately, the third and final round was carried away by Aisam and his partner with 3-6, 6-2 and 1-0. Thus, the win got Aisam the record of first Pakistani to have ever made into semi-final of any grand slam event. The Pakistani tennis star and his partner Bopanna will today face number nine seeds Wesley Moodey of South Africa and Dick Norman of Belgium