Dubai : Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Quraishi joined the ranks of remarkable sportspersons such as Mohammad Ali, Carlos Delgado and Sachin Tendulkar who have used their sport to make a statement inciting social change.
Quraishi, who lost two opportunities to be crowned champion at the ongoing US Open, used the post-final to deliver a message of peace on the eve of the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
In his on-court after-match speech, Quraishi said: "I feel there's a very wrong perception of Pakistan as a terrorist country. We are a very peace-loving country and we want peace as much as you."
On Thursday, Quraishi and partner Kveta Peschke lost to Bob Bryan and Anke Huber in the mixed doubles final, and later on Friday he and Indian partner Rohan Bopanna — nicknamed the "Indo-Pak Express" — lost 7-6, 7-6 to the top-seeded Bryan brothers in the men's doubles.
"Since September 11, every time I come to the States or Western countries, I feel people have the wrong impression about Pakistan as a terrorist nation. There are extremists I think in every religion but, just because of them, you can't judge the whole country as a terrorist nation. I just want to get this message across as a Pakistani," Quraishi implored.
Both Quraishi and Bopanna have been regulars in Dubai. About four years back, the Pakistani won the $15,000 (Dh55,000) Aviation Cup sponsored by Dubai Duty Free, automatically earning a wild card entry at the annual Dubai Tennis Championships.
Bopanna, who hails from the Coorg region of Karnataka, has travelled to Dubai to be part of the Indian team at the annual Nations Cup organised by Al Nasr Leisureland.
Since coming together as a doubles pair, peace has very much been the message of Bopanna and Quraishi. They have sported "Stop War, Start Tennis" sweatshirts in a bid to improve relations between their two countries.
