Aisaam-ul-Haq Qureshi is an outstanding international tennis player from Pakistan. He is currently ranked No. 1 in Pakistan and No. 14 in the world in doubles. His team with Jean Julien Rojer is ranked 5th, with his highest ever singles ranking has been 103. He qualified for the Main Draw of Wimbledon in 2007 and reached the 2nd round.

He also reached the first round of the singles category in the US Open (2008). He is the only Pakistani tennis player to reach the final of a Grand Slam, achieving the unique feat in 2010 whilst competing in both mixed doubles (partnering with Květa Peschke) and men’s doubles (partnering with Rohan Bopanna) at the US Open.

In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Aisaam speaks about his tennis career so far, upcoming tennis talent in the country and his role in grooming the talent as well as his future plans after he retires from the game.

PakPassion.net: Usually Pakistani youngsters take up Football or Cricket, but you chose Tennis! Why was that?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: The reason I picked up Tennis was because it is our family sport. My maternal grandfather, Khawaja Iftikhar, was All India No.1 before partition. My mother, Nosheen Ehtisham, was Pakistan No. 1 for 10 years. This sport has always been in our family.

PakPassion.net: What is the best age that you would recommend for picking up Tennis?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: I started very late. I started at the age of 13 and a half. I reckon the ideal age for Tennis, like any other sport, is around 6.

PakPassion.net: What is the current status of Tennis in Pakistan? Is the Government or Tennis Association doing anything to improve the infrastructure and facilities in Pakistan?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: The current situation in Pakistan is very grim, not only in Tennis, but in every other sport. We have not been playing any international events at home for the past few years now. Tennis is also getting affected. All our Davis Cup ties have been moved abroad and we’re always playing away matches. The federation is also in a tough spot because you can’t have any international events in Pakistan. Recently, the federation tried their level best about hosting the tie in Myanmar, but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control, we lost that tie. I still feel the government and the Pakistan Tennis Federation can do a lot more for the game of Tennis. I did my level best to advise them in the best way possible but at the end of the day they have to take the right steps.

PakPassion.net: Who is next in line after you apart from Aqeel Khan?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: We have a few youngsters like Mohammad Abid, Faizan Khurram, Samir Iftikhar and Yasir Khan. All of them are very talented players, but I feel they have a long way to go. I do my level best as Pakistan’s number one ranked player to help them out in every way possible. They just to have to work a lot more and I hope InshaAllah (God-willing) in the coming years they’ll be able to get a lot of laurels for Pakistan.

PakPassion.net: What have you done to mentor upcoming youngsters other than a few of your cousins?

Aisaam-ul-Haq:As the number one ranked player in the country, I can offer advice to them. Every time I am here, I try to practice with them as much as I can. That’s the most I can do while I am still active in Tennis and travelling most of the time. With my cousins, it’s a little different as I stay in touch with them via social media. However, every time I am here, I try to help these guys out as well.

PakPassion.net: Do you think you could have trained harder to do better in singles or to keep Pakistan afloat in the Davis Cup?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: I don’t think I could have trained harder. It was a learning process for me. There were a lot of new things I had to learn and I didn’t have anybody to guide me in Pakistan. Unfortunately, I have not been able to achieve my goals in singles. I always wanted to be in the top 100. My highest ranking was 103. As a Pakistani, I had a pretty solid singles career as well as I had two wins against the top 10 players in world and I also have a very good Davis Cup record in singles.

I am a little bit disappointed that I didn’t make the top 100 mark. I qualified for the US Open and Wimbledon. It took me a while to get used to the singles game and I played my best Tennis in singles between the ages of 26 and 28. I am happy with my career and trying my level best to earn laurels for my country and family.

PakPassion.net: Leander Paes just won the US open Double’s title at the age of 40. Do you think you can also carry on for another five years?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: Yes, easily! I think it’s all about will-power and staying healthy and fit. If you are motivated and have the desire, in doubles you can definitely go on till the age of 40-41. Players like Leander Paes, Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor are prime examples. They have been winning Grand Slams at the age of 38, 39 and 40. It all depends on how fit and motivated you are. InshaAllah (God-willing), I am hopeful I can do the same.

PakPassion.net: Your Indo-Pak Express doubles pairing with Rohan Bopanna unfortunately broke up. It was a great effort to promote peace between India and Pakistan. Would you ever consider partnering another Indian such as Sania Mirza, in mixed doubles?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: Yes, I have said it in the past also. I’d love to play with her and I think she knows it. Hopefully, in the near future, we will be able to play together. It will be good for Pakistan Tennis and India Tennis and for Tennis in the subcontinent overall.

PakPassion.net: What are you plans after your career is over? Would you open academies like our spin bowlers have done or are planning to do?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: The plans are already there. I have asked the Punjab government to offer me some land for my Tennis academy. I am hoping thatInshaAllah, I will get a green light from them. The problem is the land – I can’t get it on my own. Hopefully in the near future, they will be able to grant me some land.

PakPassion.net: What is the reason that even after being a Top 10 doubles player for several seasons now, you are unable to break in the Top 5 ranking?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: It takes time. I’ve only started to play doubles in the last three years. People have a lot of expectations but they don’t understand that its a tough sport. By the Grace of God, for the past three years I have been in the top 10 and the goal is to be in top 5. It takes time. I reached number six in the world this year so InshaAllah I’ll be able to reach the top 5 mark as well. It’s my goal as well to be World Number 1. InshaAllah slowly, but surely I know that I will achieve that goal.

PakPassion.net: What were your feelings when you reached the men’s doubles and mixed doubles finals at the US Open?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: It was great – a dream come true obviously. As a Muslim and a Pakistani, it was a very proud moment for me to play two Grand Slam finals. It was a great experience and definitely the highest moment so far of my career. That’s one of the reasons I am still motivated and I know that I can be there and win the Grand Slams. It was a huge morale boosting experience and it got recognized in my country as well. It was an amazing experience and it’s tough to express it in words.

PakPassion.net: You defeated Roger Federer in a doubles match. How did that feel like?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: Roger Federer is the greatest player of all times. Just playing against him was an honour for me. As a Pakistani, I never thought of even playing with him or against him. There are a very few players who will say they played against him. On top of that, I ended up beating him. There are very few players who can say that they played better and ended up beating him as well. I am very lucky and fortunate that I can say that I played against him and beat him as well. It was a mind-blowing experience and I feel very blessed to be part of that.

PakPassion.net: If you could be re-born as any tennis player ever, who would it be?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: Well, my all-time favourite player is Stefan Edberg and nowadays, Roger Federer is the best player, so these are the two players I’d like to be if I am born again.

PakPassion.net: Do you recommend a one handed or two handed backhand?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: All the past champions used to play with a single hand. Legends of the game like Rod Laver and Pete Samprass played with a single-hand backhand and Roger Federer plays with single-hand backhand as well. It depends how you feel. Double-hand backhand also has a lot of advantages, but disadvantages as well. I play with it as well, so I would recommend it.

PakPassion.net: Some people in Pakistan were upset when you teamed up with Israeli player Amir Hadad, but the same people did not protest when you partnered Indian player, Bopanna. Any comments?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: I think people have realized that I am just trying to bring laurels from my country. It does not matter whether I have played alongside a Jew, a Hindu or a Christian. These players have just been helping me to achieve my goals. I am happy that people have understood that this is part of being a Tennis player and a professional athlete. You can’t mix sports with religion and politics.

PakPassion.net: What do you think are the main difficulties between switching between singles and doubles tennis?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: Doubles is not only about you. You have to think about your partner also. You have to learn about the weaknesses and strengths of your partner. You have to play around his game as well. You cannot think as an individual or as a singles player. You have to watch your game around your partner’s game as well and try to find the best solution to win matches and get the most out of both players. It is obviously very different from singles. In singles, you just have yourself to be blame, but in doubles you can find solutions and you can speak to your partner for motivation when you are down. For me, doubles are definitely much more fun than singles.

PakPassion.net: Do you still feel you can win a Grand Slam?

Aisaam-ul-Haq: Yes, definitely! That’s the reason I am still playing Tennis. My dream is to win the Grand Slam and become the No. 1 doubles player in the world.

By: Farid Khan
Courtesy: PakPassion