Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi Reaches US Open Mixed Doubles Finals

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi this week became the first Pakistani, and the first Muslim, ever to reach the finals of a Grand Slam tennis tournament, as Pakistan’s Qureshi teamed up with the Czech Republic’s Kveta Peschke to reach the Mixed Doubles finals of the U.S. Open in New York City. Their path to the finals has been an interesting one, as they opened the tournament with a victory over the 8th seeded team of Vania King and Horia Tecau. After that win, all of the remaining seeded teams in their half of the draw were taken out prior to reaching them. And, in the semifinals, Qureshi and Peschke defeated the fellow unseeded team of Germany’s Ana-Lena Groenefeld and the Bahamas’ Mark Knowles 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4). The unseeded Qureshi-Peschke team could possibly have to face the number one seeds, Americans Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan, in the finals.

Qureshi’s extended moment of glory is not limited to the Mixed Doubles competition, however. Qureshi is exhibiting his usual dominance in the Men’s Doubles competition with his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna. The 16th seeded Qureshi-Bopanna team have powered their way to the semifinals, where they will face the unseeded Argentinian team of Eduardo Schwank and Horacio Zeballos. No matter the ensuing results, this is certainly an historic time for Pakistani, and Muslim, athletics, thanks to brother Aisam.

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