Aisam optimistic despite Zimonjic split

The Pakistan tennis ace recently lost the Dubai Open final

DUBAI: The ever-changing dynamics of the doubles game have left Aisamul Qureshi without a partner mid-season. His pairing with Nenad Zimonjic, only about two months old, came to a tame end with a 4-6, 1-6 defeat against India’s Rohan Bopanna and Canada’s Daniel Nestor in the final of the Dubai Open.

Zimonjic, the more experienced of the two, had made a switch over to the ad side of the court when they decided to play together. But with success hard to come by — Qureshi-Zimonjic had not been able to get past the quarter- finals in any of the five tournaments they entered — the Serb decided to pull the plug.

“I guess he is not comfortable playing on this side of the court,” said Aisam, adding that he did offer to make the switch in order to make the partnership work.

“He has had most success playing over the deuce side and I do understand his reasons, he is 38 and maybe feels it’s too late to change.”

Aisam added that he thought the decision had been too quick to come as he assumed Zimonjic would have known, going into the partnership that he would have to make an adjustment. “But that’s life, I have to move on. Maybe, this challenge will make me mentally stronger.”

Aisam to play French Open, Wimbledon with Muller

Aisam is ranked at 40 on the doubles charts currently and faces the uphill task of finding a partner in time for the Masters tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami. But the 34-year-old from Lahore said he will play the French Open and Wimbledon with Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller, who, being a left-hander could give the team an edge.

“We are definitely going to play the two Grand Slams,” said Aisam. “I have spoken with him and he seems really pumped up about it.”

Though Aisam, the only Pakistani on tour, would have liked to call off the partnership with Zimonjic on a high, he thought the duo lacked energy in the Dubai final against Bopanna-Nestor.

“I was happy we could even get to the finals because Zimonjic was sick for the first three days he was here and we hardly got any practice in. Going into the match against Bopanna and Nestor we knew it was going to be a serving contest, but I thought we were a little flat. I just couldn’t find the energy.”

Even though he ended up on the losing side, it was almost a homecoming for Aisam this week. The Dubai Open is as close to a home tournament he can get to on the professional circuit. Up next is the first round of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group II tie against Kuwait next weekend, which, despite being hosts, Pakistan will have to play in Sri Lanka.

 

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