Aisam in mixed doubles final

Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his partner Kveta Peschke from the Czech Republic cruised into the US Open final.

NEW YORK: Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his partner Kveta Peschke from the Czech Republic cruised into the US Open mixed doubles final by beating Mark Knowles from the Bahamas and the German Anna-Lena Groenefeld 7-6(7-5), 7-6(7-4). Aisam also continued his spree of setting records as he also became the first Pakistani to take part in a final for any grand slam event.

With the ongoing cricket spot-fixing scandal and the devastating floods in Pakistan, Aisam believes that tennis can be good distraction for his countrymen.

“I know how important my performance is right now for my countrymen,” Aisam told a local news channel. “I’m eager to give them something to celebrate about after the floods and the spot-fixing cricket scandal. I am really proud to become the first Pakistani to reach the knockout stage of a grand slam but my job is still not finished.”

Nadal storms into last-eight

World number one Rafael Nadal produced another dominant performance to reach the quarter-finals, powering past Spanish compatriot Feliciano Lopez. The top seed won 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and he has yet to drop a set or his serve in four matches.

Nadal took immediate control of the match, breaking Lopez in the second game for a 2-0 lead. That was enough to give him the first set. Lopez looked more comfortable at the start of the second set, but he could not keep his level up where it needed to be and two forehands into the net handed Nadal a second service break in the fifth game. Nadal was then in full flow and Lopez was struggling to get any points against his serve. The third set was a formality as Nadal bided his time and then grabbed the final break of serve he needed in the ninth game to wrap up the match.

Fernando Verdasco also made it into the quarter-finals after defeating 10th-seeded compatriot David Ferrer 5-7, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), while Stanislas Wawrinka claimed a 7-6 (11-9), 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 win over Sam Querrey.

Venus, Clijsters book semi-final clash

Two-time champions Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams booked a semi-final showdown with hard-fought victories. Defending champion Clijsters struggled but stretched her Flushing Meadows winning streak to 19 matches by ousting Australian fifth seed Samantha Stosur 6-4, 5-7, 6-3. US third seed Williams eliminated sixth-seeded French Open winner Francesca Schiavone of Italy 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2010.