The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Qureshi's wish to promote friendship

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Thursday, Jul 01, 2010
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Qureshi's wish to promote friendship

Karachi: Pakistani tennis star, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi is keen on playing an exhibition match with his doubles partner, India's Rohan Bopanna at the Wagah border in a bid to highlight the fact that the two countries can co-exist on friendly and cordial terms.

Aisam, who became the first Pakistani to reach the quarterfinals of any event at Wimbledon when he and Bopanna qualified for the last eight stage of the doubles event, said he always dreamt of such a match ever since he started playing with Bopanna.

“I see my partnership with Bopanna as a not only a great tennis partnership but a close friendship as well. I think we have shown that people from both countries can live happily and peacefully together and also help each other out,” Aisam said in an interview.

He said he planned to organise an exhibition tennis match with Bopanna at the Wagah border later this year to play his part in improving relations with India.

“I hope the project becomes reality because I am sure if it is possible the match at Wagah will serve as a great advertisement of friendly relations between the two countries,” he said.

Aisam and Bopanna have teamed up in several international circuit tournaments and had some notable success this year.

Aisam said that by playing consistently with Bopanna, a gradual improvement has come in his doubles ranking and the two now aimed to get to the top position in the world rankings. — PTI

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