Pakistan crash to humiliating Davis Cup defeat

South Korea decimate Aisam, Aqeel as tourists lose 4-0.

KARACHI:

Pakistan registered their worst defeat in 33 years against South Korea in their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group II tie losing 4-0 as Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan lost their doubles match against Kim Young-Jun and Lim Yong-Kyu in a five-setter. The defeat also finishes hopes of Pakistan being promoted to Group I.

Earlier, Pakistan had lost their singles matches as Im Kyu-Tae defeated Aqeel 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 and Aisam was outplayed by Yong-Kyu 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in a close match.

After back-to-back defeats, the team had pinned its hopes on the doubles encounter but Aisam and Aqeel lost a nail-biting match 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 4-6, 13-11.

The duo, after losing the first two sets, hit back and took the third one on a tie-break and secured the following set 6-4 to push the match into a fifth, which saw some pulsating tennis before the visitors lost on a super tie-break.

After having lost the tie 3-0, captain Muhammad Khalid decided to go ahead with a dead-rubber that Yasir Khan lost 6-0, 6-0 against Young-Jun. Korea will now face Thailand in the third round of Davis Cup Asia/Oceania group II.

Meanwhile, former Davis Cup player Hamidul Haq rued the fact that Aisam and Aqeel lost their first doubles match in a Davis Cup tie.

“We have always managed to win doubles matches and watching these two lose is just disappointing,” Haq told The Express Tribune. “This was South Korea’s weakest team in years; they were playing with players who had a poor record in comparison to Aqeel and Aisam. The miscommunication within the Pakistan Tennis Federation and bad coaching during the 12-day camp has cost us a great chance of progressing.”

France beat Germany

France rounded off a 4-1 win over Germany in the Davis Cup World Group quarter-final after Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6, 7-6. France had assured themselves of a last-four berth after their victory in Saturday’s doubles. France now face either the US or Spain.

Serbia reach semis

Davis Cup holders Serbia eased into the semi-finals after Janko Tipsarevic crushed Sweden’s Michael Ryderstedt in their last-eight rubber. Tipsarevic won 6-2, 7-5, 6-3  in straight setsto secure Serbia a semi-final meeting with Argentina.

Iftikhar refuses to play

According to officials close to the team, Pakistan had to face the embarrassment of their reserve player Samir Iftikhar refusing to play the fifth match, stating that he had a knee injury after the organisers had announced his name. While the tie had already been decided, Pakistan chose to play the fifth match. Ifthikhar had been called especially from the UK for the tie and was chosen over six other players.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2011.