An interview with: Rohan Bopanna and Aisam‑Ul‑Haq Qureshi

Written by: Staff on 11th September 2010

An interview with: Rohan Bopanna and Aisam‑Ul‑Haq Qureshi |

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Gentlemen, I wanted to ask, you know, when you guys started as a pairing, we know the story, that you were sending out a message. Did you ever imagine it would get to one match away from winning a Grand Slam?

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : Honestly speaking, every since we’ve been playing at the challengers levels from last year, we won more than 10 challengers in 2007 and 2008, and I always believed if we played consistently on ATP, me and Rohan both as a team, we can do really well on the tour and we can make our mark.

This year, fortunately, we got our rankings up to play ATP circuit on a consistent basis and to be practicing against the top teams and playing matches against them on a regular basis obviously gave us confidence.

And in the last past two or three months we have had I think wins against all the top 10 teams in the world. It just shows that I was pretty right about our pairing together, and you know, it would be just a matter of time.

I always believe we can do really well in the Grand Slam on the ATP circuit. Making quarterfinals at Wimbledon was a huge learning experience. I definitely learned a lot from it, and that whole experience is definitely paying off in this US Open these last two weeks.

Q. I heard on TV that the Indian and Pakistani ambassador were here today or they’re coming on Friday? Were they together today?

ROHAN BOPANNA: They were here today watching our match.

Q. Did you two have anything to do with arranging that, or how did it come together?

ROHAN BOPANNA: I mean, through the ATP I think they had contacted them, and we are really glad that they came out and watched us play. It was pretty hard out there to come on them.

Me we met them after our match, so, you know, really thankful to them that they came out, took some time and came out to watch us play today.

Q. Clearly guys have been trying to get that matchup up on the border. You hadn’t gotten any response as of last week. My question is: Now to have those two gentlemen show up, it seems like you guys are making inroads in sort of the progress in your mission of having people pay attention?

ROHAN BOPANNA: I mean, well, we knew to do well in the big events that’s the only way to, you know, pass on that message. So obviously, you know, for them coming here and watching us play, it’s a big step for us.

Hopefully with that, and, you know, both our countries agreeing we can have that matchup on that border.

Q. I was out in the garden with you, and watched you with your respective ambassadors. I was wondering, you know, this is a breakthrough match for you, for the both of you. To see you out there being congratulated maybe half an hour later with them, did you feel like you sort of accomplished something major on two different fronts today?

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : I would definitely say that, you know. They’re ambassadors to the UN, Indian and Pakistan, and both sitting together, and, you know, clapping for the same cause and wanting us to win, it was a beautiful thing to see.

Obviously it just feels like that us doing well, on the bigger circuit and the bigger level is getting the message across throughout the world and among all the Pakistanis and Indians.

I’ve always said there’s no reason ‑‑ like if me and Rohan can get along so well on and off the court, there’s no reason the Indians and Pakistanis can’t get along with each other. We just saw the both ambassadors today sitting together. It was really good.

Q. Following up on the ambassadors, do you know if they talked to each other? And did you hear what they talked? Were you part of the conversation?

ROHAN BOPANNA: We were playing a match, so I don’t know if…

Q. After the game.

ROHAN BOPANNA: No, after the game they spoke only to us, so I’m presuming ‑‑ you know, they were sitting together, so I really would think they did speak with each other.

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : Both of them are…

ROHAN BOPANNA: We have no idea what they spoke about.

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : To us they were very encouraging. They just said what we are doing is a great thing together, and they both are on our side. They actually said also they’re coming and watching the finals as well for us, so that’s a great thing, I think.

Q. Whose idea was it initially? Can you just talk about the initial pairing?

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : The idea ‑‑ I have been playing with Indians throughout my life. For past 14 years, there haven’t been any Pakistanis on the tour, so playing with the Indian players has been the closest thing for me like playing with a Pakistani.

I have been going to India ever since I was 16 years old. Play a lot of junior tournaments with, Indians, play futures, play the challenger level as well.

The first time I played with him was in 2003 a couple of challengers, and last year and the year before also we won like more than 10 challengers. But to get noticed and to get the message across, you have to do well on a bigger scale and in front of the wider and bigger audience.

And I’m just very, very happy and proud to be a part of it. You know, the Indo‑Pak Express, I’m just happy I’m on the Indo‑Pak Express. You know, it’s really good we’re getting all the wins, and we’re somehow bringing the people of both nations together.

Q. Obviously it’s an incredibly difficult world out there and you’re just athletes, but sometimes the magic works. We see in South Africa a very different country than we saw, say, 15, 20 years. Other places like the Middle East, there isn’t much movement at all over these decades. What will it take to get your two countries to live in harmony?

ROHAN BOPANNA: I think there’s a lot more than just us playing together. But then, you know, it’s just as Aisam said, we’re just trying to promote peace through sports. We are not looking into any political part or anything to do with whatever is happening.

We’re just trying to see ‑‑ you know, trying to promote ‑‑ you know, if like even 2% or 3% of people change their minds of saying, you know, if we both can get along why can’t they, as well. Tat’s we’re not trying to do. We’re not trying to see any other…

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : I would have to say today was a small step towards it. You know, we always said sports can reach places where no religion or politics or politician can reach. I think it’s above all the religion and politics.

You know, seeing both ambassadors sitting together and going for one cause obviously is a start. So I would take it in a positive way. And like Rohan says all the time: If you can change few personal people’s mind on Indian or Pakistan’s side, I think it’s a great thing.

And I am seeing that anyway every day. Crowd is getting better. More Indians and Pakistanis coming. They’re all mixed together sitting in the crowd. You can’t tell who is Pakistani and who is Indian.

That’s the beauty about sports. That’s the beauty about, I guess, our playing. Before our pairing you would never see that in any sports, fighting for one cause. It’s really good to be part of it.

Q. On the tennis side of things, now you face the Bryan brothers. How big a challenge is that?

ROHAN BOPANNA: I mean, to win a Grand Slam you have to beat the best there is. That’s what Aisam and me keep telling. They are the best out there now.

For us, we just have to go there, play our games. You know, we just beat them few weeks ago in Washington, D.C., so, you know, we are really looking forward to that Friday match, and we go in confident, playing and doing well there.

Q. When you guys first got together, first met, what did you find in common with each other? Was it just tennis mostly? Since then, have you found that there’s a lot in common between you?

ROHAN BOPANNA: 2003 we already knew each other, so well before we started playing together. I think, you know, when we decided to play together it was just that we happen to be in the same tournament and we didn’t have doubles partners that week. We decided to try to out and played well, so I think that is how we basically started from there.

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : We don’t have many things in common, to be honest. He likes the spicy food; I don’t. He likes to dance to slow songs; I don’t. (Laughter.) He’s got a big game; I don’t.

There are not many similarities, to be honest.

Q. How long were you guys together before you realized there was a social or political significance to your pairing? Did you know that right away?

ROHAN BOPANNA: I mean, not really. We didn’t ‑‑ we thought it will help each other’s games, so that’s how we decided to play with each other.

Then obviously later being asked about it, that’s been ‑‑ you know, we got to know about ‑‑ you know, for us, it just felt like ‑‑ you know, going to any player in the draw and just asking to play doubles that week.

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : I think what changed both our careers was when we became ambassadors of peace, by peace in sports. The first time we initiated our campaign about Stop War and Start Tennis, I think that was the main week I think everybody started to taking notice of it.

I always believed that we have to do well in the Grand Slams and the Super 9s of the ATP to get the message across. So far, I feel I been and we been very lucky and blessed that made quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the first time and the finals in New York.

Q. We have talked about the doubles final, but you’re also going to be in the mixed doubles finals. How important is that for you personally, tennis‑wise and also for Pakistan, given the troubles and the cricket issues?

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : All these two weeks have been a dream come true. I actually feel like it’s a dream. Last night I couldn’t sleep till 6:00 in the morning, and it’s been a great, unbelievable journey.

I can’t thank Rohan enough to be my partner and playing with me. I really feel very lucky to have a partner like him and a friend like him. Pakistan has been going through a lot for the last two or three years from all the terrorist attacks and the flooding now for the last few months and the cricket scandal, also.

I’m just very happy and proud that I can send positive news back home and good news for people to cheer about. It’s just been an unbelievable journey, and I just hope I keep winning matches for Pakistan and can hopefully get either one of these titles or both titles back home. That would be great thing.

Q. Have you endured any negative reaction for your pairing?

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : No, I definitely didn’t. I think people have realized that Rohan is helping me promote this game in Pakistan. So far everybody has been appreciating what we are doing.

He probably doesn’t know, but he’s very, very popular in Pakistan. Every time my news come, his name is right there next to me. So he’s helping me to promote this game in Pakistan, and I just can’t thank him enough for doing that.

Q. Obviously having a social issue connected with athletics can also be a distraction, but it seems to have actually helped you guys in a sense as a team and working together. What is it about the pairing between the two of you tennis‑wise that have made you improve like you have? You were saying in the last week you were thinking you could get to the top 5 by the end of this year, and already you’re making even more improvement.

ROHAN BOPANNA: I think it’s just the fact that we get along so well off the court makes it much easier on court. Believing in each other I think is what is getting us through all the way, every game.

We’re trying to see that ‑‑ it’s nobody there; it’s just between you and me. You know, we keep telling each other, it’s both of us here to play and win, and that’s what has been kind of the positive things so far.

You know, that’s what I think has been working for us for a while now.

Q. As you alluded to, you played the Bryan brothers in Washington and also the week before in Los Angeles. You’ve played in the U.S. against them. This is obviously a bigger stage, US Open and it’s the final. There’s a large Indian community here and a Pakistani community. One might think it would be a predominantly U.S. crowd, but here in New York you never know. I mean, what do you expect from the atmosphere coming out of in the finals in terms of…

ROHAN BOPANNA: We are really looking forward to it. New York is a great place to play. I mean, I’ve watched so many matches, singles, doubles, finals; the crowd has been great. They support ‑‑ obviously at home support the Bryans they gonna have, but they know we’ve played enough Davis Cup ties to feel that pressure.

You know, being completely against us here, at least we have some support with Pakistanis and Indians coming out and cheering us, as well. So I think it’s ‑‑ you know, we just have to block out everyone out there, and, you know, play our game and just focus on the tennis.

Q. Have you seen that support in this tournament? Do you find pockets of Pakistanis or Indians in the crowd?

ROHAN BOPANNA: I think so a lot. I think the first couple of rounds we felt like ‑‑ in the first round we played some Americans, and it felt like there were more Pakistanis and Indians than Americans out there.

But I’m sure for the Bryans that’s gonna be different. But, you know, still I think we will have a fair amount of support there.

Q. In the past you have spoken how Pakistan has been misunderstood, but you both come from incredible cultures, ancient cultures. If you could say to Americans what the very best part of Pakistani culture is and very best part of Indian culture is.

ROHAN BOPANNA: Indian culture, they’re really hospitable people. I don’t know if Aisam is ‑‑ he’s come to India many times. He knows, you know ‑‑ I think it’s just ‑‑ I mean, culture of people, you know, according to what I think is you don’t judge a person from hearing things. You do it personally from knowing somebody.

So that’s why, you know, from wherever they may be, from whichever country they may be, I think in India we don’t judge people straightaway until you get to know them personally. That’s when I think, you know, you get to know them much better that way.

AISAM‑UL‑HAQ QURESHI : I’m just ‑‑ I think you have to wait till tomorrow or Friday. I do want to say a few words, and hopefully I get a chance and opportunity. I feel like the western world and America, they have a very wrong perception about Muslim and Pakistan.

We do have terrorist groups, we do have extremists, but I feel like every religion there are extremists there. You know, it doesn’t mean that the whole nation is terrorist or extremist. Pakistan is a very peace‑loving country. Everybody loves sports. I think everybody wants peace, as well.

The only reason we actually getting so many terrorist attacks is because we are allies with America and the western world in fighting this cause. I just hope that I get this opportunity also tomorrow to address to the people. I can let them know also that their perception of Pakistanis being a terrorist country is definitely very, very wrong.

Topics: Ambassador, Atp, Challengers, Confidence, Consistent Basis, Gentlemen, Grand Slam, Learning Experience, Lot, Match, Matchup, Matter Of Time, Quarterfinals, Rohan Bopanna, Three Months, Ul Haq, Wimbledon