NEW YORK:
Pakistan’s newest sporting hero, 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, favourites to win the tournament from the outset, defeated Qureshi and his Czech partner, who had made a surprising run to the final, 6-4, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the crown.
It was Bryan’s fourth US title in eight years, each of them coming with a different partner.
However, Bryan has not seen the last of Aisam. Pakistan’s top tennis player will team up with Indian Ravi Bopanna to face Bob and his brother Mike – who are the world’s top ranked doubles duo.
The match will take place today evening, (after 9 pm).
Qureshi said he 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.
Few, however, will argue that Aisam has, in testing times, put a smile on many faces. He has already become the first Pakistani to progress this far in a major tournament. Today, he will have tens of thousands behind him hoping for him to take it one step further.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2010.
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