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45 responses to “Tennis: Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq to Play in U.S. Open Finals, Twice”

1. Quran Online says:

   November 8, 2010 at 1:39 am

   well i think that aism-ul-haq is a great tennis player..he is trying to make pakistani’s image better in games as our cricket is only making bad name all over world

2. Kamran says:

   September 15, 2010 at 10:04 am

   @Ahmed

   Mr. Ahmed, its not only about what Aisam has achieved as a tennis player. It is about how he carries himself as a Pakistani on world stage. What he says, where he comes from, the journey he had to make it there. The resources that Bryan Brothers or Nadal, Federer etc. get is no way comparable to what Aisam received while he was learning his trade. Yet he was able to succeed to a certain level, against a lot of odds.

   We should not just look where he ended up, we should also look where he started his journey, and how he got there.

3. Mohit says:

   September 14, 2010 at 9:17 am

   @Ahmed

   I see your point but dont completely agree with you. Tennis doubles is very popular in both US & Europe. It requires strategy and team work to do well in doubles. All great tennis players of the past (McEnroe, Connors, Edberg, Wilander, Becker et al) have played doubles & mixed doubles tennis and have won accolades.

   This is an achievement (not great) for Pakistan Tennis since someone has grabbed media attention for Pakistan in a positive way. Unfortunately, very few good things are being reported for the country. I hope Aisam does even better than this!

4. Aamir Ali says:

   September 14, 2010 at 12:21 am

   Mr Ahmed stop being a Debbie Downer and enjoy some rare success for Great Pakistani Nation.

5. Ahmed says:

   September 13, 2010 at 10:21 pm

   Well, I don’t want to stand in the way of some harmless vicarious enjoyment. Don’t get me wrong. I *do* agree that the Aisam-Rohan showing is something to feel proud about. My only comments were on the *degree*. Lets not get carried away.

   At the very least, we have to recognize two patent facts.

   1. Tennis doubles is a sideshow. Not the main show. Long before there was an Indo-Pak express of Aisam-Rohan, there was the Indian Express of Bhupathi-Paes. These guys jointly and separately actually *won* grand slam events, not just make the final. In fact, they won *lots* of grand slam events. A half a dozen or so, actually! Yet, no one in their right mind would mistake India for a tennis powerhouse. Or, even a tennis powerhut :-)

   2. If tennis doubles stops being a sideshow, you can bet that the true tennis powers (read, US and Europe) will be focusing on it and it is unlikely that you would see South Asians even as successful as they are now. Unless, of course, they learn to truly compete at the world-class level.

   So, where am I coming from on this issue? I just don’t like double standards based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, or anything. I just don’t like the fact that while arguably the best tennis doubles players ever (the Bryans) ride the #7 train back from Flushing Meadows into relative obscurity, the guy who lost to them gets the highest sports award in his land. It is this kind of fawning worship that makes our sports personalities really achieve very little. Well, why achieve when you already are the biggest thing since sliced bread in your country!

   I know people are going to say, lets take baby steps first. And, I understand that. I am guilty as anyone to proudly talk endlessly about my ten-year old’s writing skills. But, nobody mistakes him for Shakespeare.

   Ahmed