Aisam-Zimonjic’s last match together ends in defeat

Pak-Serb pair go down to Bopanna-Nestor in Dubai Open doubles final.

DUBAI: Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Nenad Zimonjic’s bid of ending the partnership on a high ended in defeat, as the pair went down 4-6, 1-6 against India’s Rohan Bopanna and Daniel Nestor of Canada in the Dubai Open final on Saturday evening.

It was a partnership that never really took off. Zimonjic, the experienced Serb, had to change to the ad side of the court (left) to make sure that Aisam stayed in his comfort zone on the right. But the duo have been unable to win a single title in the first two months of the year.

Zimonjic will play with Poland’s Marcin Matkowski starting with the Indian Wells tournament, which begins on March 12.

Having come into the tournament with a 4-5 win-loss record, the pair played some sharp tennis to make it to the decider. But possibly hampered by a late finish on Friday, when they were stretched to tie-break against Britain’s Dominic Inglot and Romania’s Florin Mergea in the semi-final, Aisam-Zimonjic were far from their best in the final.

With the players in the final mix known to serve big, it was going to be critical to hold that end up. But it was there that Aisam-Zimonjic tripped.

The Serb served a double fault to concede the crucial ninth game at love, giving their opponents a 5-4 lead and a chance to serve out the set. Bopanna-Nestor made no mistake.

Aisam did a repeat act in the beginning of the second set, letting their rivals off the hook on the deciding point as they failed to wrestle back momentum. Once they were a set and a break up, Bopanna-Nestor played with renewed assurance and it took them just 50 minutes to romp home to victory.

With the Pak-Serb duo’s partnership having reached its end, it is understood that they were unable to find a comfort level in their time together on court.

“Although Aisam’s serve and volley game is a big plus on quick courts, it may not be best suited to clay,” said Zimonjic, as the tennis caravan heads into the long clay stretch from April onwards.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2015.

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