Aisam withdraws from mixed doubles

Injury to partner Peschke forces last year’s runners-up to pull out.

KARACHI: Aisamul Haq Qureshi pulled out of the US Open mixed doubles event after his partner Kveta Peschke suffered an injury two days before the duo’s opening match.

Aisam had earlier confirmed that that he was confident of putting up a good show in the mixed doubles event since Peschke won women’s doubles at Wimbledon earlier this year. The duo were beaten 6-4, 6-4 by American’s Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan last year.

“We can be the main contenders but I haven’t really got to practice with her since the women’s tour is a bit different from men’s,” Aisam had told The Express Tribune earlier.

“We understand each other well on the court and having a discussion just before the match is enough. I have an understanding with Peschke the same way I have one with Rohan Bopanna.

Meanwhile, Aisam and Bopanna were scheduled to play their second-round doubles match late last night. The Indo-Pak Express, runners-up in last-year’s doubles event of the US Open, progressed after dispatching Americans Robby Ginepri and Rhyne Williams with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 win in the opening round.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2011.