‘Sports, arts don’t price individuals on faith, nation. It ought to be left like that… Disappointing that India, Pak don’t play’

SHAHID JUDGE: The first time the 2 of you had paired up was again in 2003 on the Bristol Challenger. What are your recollections from the time?
Bopanna: (At the time) Aisam and I had already been enjoying a couple of Challengers… It was a grass-court Challenger that week and we each didn’t have companions, and so we determined to workforce up. In Bristol, once we began off, Aisam was enjoying the advert courtroom (left aspect of the courtroom) and I used to be enjoying the deuce courtroom (proper aspect of the courtroom). Later, in Denver, Aisam’s coach Robert Davis instructed we swap sides.
SHAHID JUDGE: And you gained the Denver Challenger.
Qureshi: I keep in mind how we celebrated profitable that as nicely, however I cannot share it on this platform… The most vital factor for me was realizing Rohan nicely off the courtroom. When I began enjoying on the Future’s degree, there have been numerous Indians. At the Challenger degree although, there have been fewer. Rohan was one of many high ones and he favored quick courts identical to me.
I thank Rohan quite a bit as a result of there have been so many Indians on the tour, however he selected to play with me. I thank him for the whole lot he has executed for me to get laurels for my nation.
SHAHID JUDGE: Since you have been the one Pakistani participant on the tour, did the presence of Indian gamers assist, due to the widespread tradition?
Qureshi: India has been very essential in my profession. Choosing tournaments in India was the best factor for me as a result of it was simply throughout the border. I actually loved my time enjoying in India. Gelling and hanging out with Indians got here very naturally to me. I keep in mind enjoying numerous Challengers with Bops (Bopanna) in England, Nottingham, Manchester… Going to all of the Indian eating places along with him, Prakash Amritraj, (gamers) Harsh Mankad, Mustafa Ghouse. And additionally going to observe Bollywood films.
SHAHID JUDGE: How did the friendship between the 2 of you develop?
Bopanna: The Europeans stick collectively; the Americans stick collectively. Aisam was somebody I had recognized for such a very long time. Getting together with him simply felt so pure. I don’t assume we as soon as thought that we have been from completely different international locations. It was identical to being with a detailed pal, we frolicked day-in-day-out. On the tour, it’s like a relationship. You are continually with that particular person, continually hanging out. And like Aisam stated, we performed very comparable tournaments. So that additionally helped all of us hang around and have a very good time on tour.
SHAHID JUDGE: Did you usually speak in Hindi to make sure your opponents don’t perceive you?
Qureshi: Yeah. On courtroom I communicate with Bops in Hindi. It’s a bonus for us that we don’t should whisper behind our palms, we will simply say it out loud on courtroom and no one goes to grasp. Especially the swearing half.
SHAHID JUDGE: How vital was it in your careers to make it to the US Open finals in 2010?
Bopanna: It was such a giant second in our careers, it modified our lives. We performed some incredible tennis in these weeks. Even within the last match there have been two tie-breakers… It was a memorable second.
For pals, households, the international locations, to assist one workforce was actually big. It was a giant breakthrough. Today, we’re nonetheless enjoying on the tour due to the truth that we had such a breakthrough yr. It’s 11 years later and we’re nonetheless enjoying on the highest degree.
SHAHID JUDGE: You championed the slogan ‘Stop War, Start Tennis’ throughout that tour. How vital is it immediately?
Qureshi: For me, it was way more vital than making the finals of a Slam. Working with organisations reminiscent of Peace and Sport, the United Nations… They simply make you perceive the larger image.
Even in Pakistan proper now, individuals who don’t know tennis however work together with me, they’re at all times speaking concerning the ‘Indo-Pak Express’. Even in India… The incontrovertible fact that I simply entered this match with Bops, the type of messages I’ve been getting is unbelievable. I by no means thought individuals can be this excited to see us teaming up once more. It simply exhibits the affect we made at the moment as nicely.
NIHAL KOSHIE: There has been a thaw within the relationship between the 2 international locations. Would the 2 of you might have had second ideas about teaming up if the scenario wasn’t such?
Qureshi: It has by no means made a distinction what the scenario is between India and Pakistan or anyplace. I’ve at all times believed that I might by no means combine politics with sports activities and tradition. We should, as people, work in the direction of peace on this world. I actually imagine peace is the one strategy to transfer ahead. Not simply between India and Pakistan, however all through the world.
I’m enjoying with him as a result of we’ve executed very nicely up to now. He is certainly one of my closest pals. But even when issues will not be good between India and Pakistan, I’ve stated no to my nation… I’ve had political strain earlier than as nicely when I’ve performed with Bops and after I performed with a Jewish man (Amir Hadad from Israel). But I nonetheless carried on enjoying with my pals. And I might have executed the identical this time round as nicely.
NIHAL KOSHIE: In hindsight, would India travelling to Pakistan for the Davis Cup in 2019 have helped in selling peace between the 2 nations?
Qureshi: Anytime an occasion will get referred to as off or a workforce doesn’t wish to come to Pakistan or Pakistanis can’t go to India, I really feel very disillusioned. The individuals in each the international locations cherish that, it doesn’t matter what type of collection it’s — a kabaddi match, hockey match or cricket match between the 2 nations.
We used to have the Indo-Pak tennis collection additionally. The collection was unbelievable. It actually helped enhance our requirements as tennis gamers. I actually cherished them. So, it’s disappointing that for political causes this stuff will not be taking place and sports activities is getting affected. The fantastic thing about sports activities and humanities is that we don’t price individuals due to their tradition or faith or the nation they belong to. It needs to be left like that… It’s disappointing that Indians can’t come to Pakistan to play, or Pakistanis can’t go to India to play both. (The Davis Cup in 2019, for which the Indian workforce was anticipated to journey to Islamabad, was shifted to impartial Kazakhstan by the International Tennis Federation.)
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: Aisam, are there any recollections your grandfather Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed shared with you about his time as a nationwide tennis champion earlier than Partition?
Qureshi: Unfortunately, I by no means obtained to see him play. My mom by no means obtained to see him play both. I’ve solely seen him in movies and photos. When I used to journey to India, a few of the older gamers used to return and inform me that they’d seen him play on the Delhi Gymkhana Club or in Mumbai.
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: As a visa requirement, how tough was it to go to a police station each day once you have been in India as a youngster?
Qureshi: Sometimes it was irritating, however I at all times knew what to anticipate after I got here to India. I knew I needed to report back to a police station in each metropolis on the time. Before I knew my lodge, I knew which police station to go to. I needed to report back to a station inside 24 hours of my arrival and inform them precisely after I was leaving town. Other than that, it used to really feel like house in India. I used to observe Indian films, have Indian meals on a regular basis. I nonetheless assume one of the best daal makhani and hen tikka masala that I’ve ever had in my life has been in Dehradun and I’ll always remember that.
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: At the award ceremony of the US Open last, you stated, ‘People have wrong perception about Pakistan being a terrorist country… We are very friendly, loving and caring people and we want peace as much as you guys want. May Allah bless us all.’ What made you say that?
Qureshi: If I had provided that speech anyplace else, it may not have made that affect. I needed to make it to the ultimate of the US Open for it… After 9/11, I’ve felt numerous discrimination within the United States. And I used to be simply speaking about my private expertise of going to the States put up 9/11 and the type of discrimination I felt. For me, it was a flawed notion that Americans had about Pakistan. If I hadn’t made it to the ultimate with Bopanna on that platform, I don’t assume it might have made that a lot of an affect.
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: Rohan, is there a false impression about Pakistan that you would be able to clear since you might have spent a lot time with Aisam?
Bopanna: Whoever I’ve spoken to (in Pakistan) has been incredible and at all times constructive. One incident I have to share is from the time after I went to Aisam’s marriage ceremony. The perform completed fairly late. I used to be headed again to my lodge, when instantly we have been stopped at a checkpost. The cop recognised who I used to be and needed to take selfies. And this was at 3 am they usually have been like, ‘Let’s sit down and have a cup of tea’. It has at all times been about such great incidents.
Then there was the Indo-Pak friendship tour that we had. We had an awesome welcome, nice hospitality. I do know when Aisam got here to my marriage ceremony all the way in which to Coorg, everybody needed to speak to him. When you examine an individual and have continually heard about him, you are feeling like him. All my pals have been there speaking to him as if they’d recognized him for 15 years. That I really feel is the true fantastic thing about this friendship.
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: Aisam, any false impression that you simply wish to clear…
Qureshi: I don’t know the political causes as a result of I don’t get entangled in politics a lot. In my private opinion, all of the Indians I’ve met, in India or outdoors… There are sure tournaments the place Indians have watched my match. The solely cause they watch my match, even when I’m not enjoying with Bopanna, is the Indo-Pak Express… Every time I meet or communicate to an Indian, it’s all about love. It’s all about peace and respect. That’s all I can relate with. I don’t know what’s taking place between each international locations on the border or stuff like that. For me, a life misplaced anyplace on this planet is miserable and disappointing. I really feel like the entire world has stopped appreciating the worth of human life.