Pakistan’s Number One Tennis player, Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi
With powerful first serves, a greater purpose both on and off the tennis court, the former Asian number three, Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi, is Pakistan’s tennis ace. Qureshi was born on 17th March, 1980 in Lahore, Pakistan. Being the number one tennis player from Pakistan, Aisam’s highest Singles ranking is 103 in the world. He represents Pakistan in all major international tennis tournaments.
Aisam was brought up in Lahore, Pakistan. As a child, he used to play soccer and cricket like majority of Pakistani kids. At the age of 14, Aisam started playing tennis with his mother as a hobby. At that time he never thought of becoming a professional tennis player. But tennis is in his genes as his mother, Nausheen Ihtisham, is a ten-time national champion. While his grandfather, Khwaja Iftikhar was the All-India champion of tennis before partition of Pakistan and India in 1947.
The International Tennis Federation sponsored Aisam for a period of two years when he was only 16-years-old. Straight away he won the International Junior Championships and carried on the winning momentum by winning several other titles including the Casablanca Cup in Mexico and the Lawn Tennis Association International Junior Championships in Roehampton where he defeated Taylor Dent, Andy Ram as well as Olivier Rochus. Later on, he defeated Andy Roddick in the World Super Junior Championship. He was among the top 20 junior tennis players in the world and the number one junior player in Pakistan at the age of 18.
The right-handed player turned pro in 1998. Robert Davis, the former Davis Cup and professional coach for Thailand, Peru and Panama was Aisam-ul-Haq’s first coach. Robert is also an international writer.
With a volley and serve playing style he played his first match in the Davis Cup on 25th September 1998 against Danai Udomchoke and won it 6-3,6-3,6-3. He also managed to win the doubles match along with his partner Mohamed Khaliq Siddiq 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. Together, they assisted Pakistan in defeating Thailand 3–2 for the Group II Final of the Asia/Oceania Zone and earned gradation to Group I.
Aisam played his first pro match on 28th September 1998 and cruised into the finals of the doubles future tournament held Japan. He also had a good start in his singles career as he entered into 2 future level quarter finals in Japan and Pakistan. Aisam finished the year ranked 779th in the world.
The Pakistani tennis star at one stage of his career climbed as high as 125 in world men’s singles rankings in the Association of Tennis Professionals. However, his calling card swiftly became the doubles game. Aisam made his way into the ATP doubles final for the first time in 2007.
Qureshi was paired with James Cerretani of America in November, 2009. The pair together pulled off one of the biggest upsets in tennis by beating Roger Federer and his partner in Basel, Switzerland.
His first ATP doubles title came this season when Aisam along with Bopana won the South Africa Tennis Open in February 2010. The pair together made their way into two more final matches since then and the future of the sub-continental pair seems to be quite dazzling.
Aisam has represented and led Pakistan’s Davis Cup team. He holds the most victories in the Davis Cup doubles and singles, in the history of Pakistan. A truly talented Pakistani star with a bright future.
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