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Aisam Targets Top Doubles Status Back To Main

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KARACHI: Pakistan’s most successful tennis player Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi has said that his target is to become top ranked doubles tennis player. 

“My aim is to become top doubles international player,” said Qureshi, who was the chief guest along with his wife Faha in the closing ceremony of International Tennis Championship here at Karachi Gymkhana.

Qureshi, who is currently ranked ninth in doubles international rankings, also played a doubles exhibition match here. He further said that he would soon team up with someone else. He has parted ways with his former Indian teammate Rohan Bopanna. “Our separation is not a big thing. That was completely a professional move. I will soon team up with someone else,” he said.

Rohan also stayed for a few days in Pakistan to attend Aisam’s wedding ceremonies. Aisam and Rohan, who won many tournaments together and were dubbed as ‘IndoPak Express’, were placed at 5th spot in doubles team rankings. “I will try my best to play in next year’s Olympics’ tennis doubles event,” said Qureshi.

He also said that he would play for Pakistan Davis Cup tie in Lebanon in February next year. “I will play for Pakistan in Davis Cup tie. However, it would have been better if we had hosted the tie in Pakistan as it was earlier scheduled. It would have given us home-ground advantage.

“The federation (Pakistan Tennis Federation) should have made efforts to retain the right to host the event. Security conditions in Pakistan are now stable and foreigners are coming here. The Chinese hockey team are also playing in Pakistan. In the recent past, the security conditions in Lebanon were also not stable, so I think we should have taken a stand,” Qureshi stressed. He further said that tennis could be promoted in Pakistan if corporations came forward to help the game. “Corporations should come forward and sponsor tennis events.”