Tennis shall bring world peace

[moe.ron]

Jewish-Muslim Doubles Team Advances
Wed Aug 28,11:33 PM ET
By HAL BOCK, AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - The way they see it, the doubles partnership of Amir Hadad and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with tennis.

Hadad is from Israel, Qureshi from Pakistan. In these troubled times, they play together, concerned less with symbolism than they are with serves.

Granted a wild-card entry into the U.S. Open ( news - web sites), Hadad and Qureshi advanced Wednesday night with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Mariano Hood and Sebastian Prieto.

Hadad and Qureshi first teamed up at Wimbledon ( news - web sites), where they made it to the third round. They got together as a matter of convenience.

"We were both looking for partners," Qureshi said. "I just asked him. We decided to play."

And the political implications?

"I never even thought of it," he said. "We're just sports. I don't believe to bring religion or politics to tennis. That's the main part of sports. Everybody gets together, people from all religions, backgrounds. That's the best part of being a sportsman. That's what we're showing."

But not everyone has been happy with their decision to team up. The head of tennis in Pakistan denounced the pairing at Wimbledon in July, and demanded an explanation from Qureshi.

Even though Qureshi went further in a Grand Slam event than any Pakistani player in history, the Pakistan Sports Board threatened to suspend him.

The ITF responded, saying Pakistan could jeopardize its federation membership if it barred Qureshi from its Davis Cup team when it plays China in September.

Pakistani officials were upset because the country doesn't recognize the state of Israel.

"We hope and expect that he would not repeat this mistake in future," Syed Dilawar Abbas, president of the Pakistan Tennis Federation, said at the time.

Abbas added that Qureshi had not obtained permission from his country's federation to play with an Israeli.

Neither player has heard any complaint from fans here. In fact, Hadad said, they had plenty of support from countrymen for their match.

"There were a lot of Pakistanis and Israelis in the crowd," Hadad said. "Both were together, cheering for the team. I think it was a nice thing to watch. It's normal for us to see everybody together. I think it's nice. I hope more people can learn from it."

Their personalities differ. Qureshi is calmer, Hadad more aggressive.

"He never listens to me," Qureshi said. "When I say, `Out,' he just goes for it. That's the only thing I don't like about him."

The two plan to continue their partnership, politics notwithstanding.

Hadad was asked if he thought people could learn from him and his friend.

"Two people from different countries, different cultures can team up, play together, play good tennis together," Hadad said. "If you put it in politics, maybe they can do the same thing."

Qureshi was asked if they were teaching the world anything.

"I'm teaching them how to hit the ball, serve, backhand, forehand.," he said.