Pakistan tennis enjoyed the year 2011 owing largely to the exploits of Indo-Pak tennis great late Khawaja Iftikhar’s generation — the third generation now dominating the sport.
Pakistan’s tennis ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi who had already made his name throughout the world with his superlative performance, is now being followed by young Davis Cupper Samir Iftikhar, while another of the family members, national ladies champion and Fed Cup player Ushna Sohail has become the only Pakistani female to make positive vibes across tennis circles at the world level.
Like his first cousin Aisam, Samir has grown up with enough potential to made the country proud in just a couple of years. As of Aisam, who went into the history books as the only Pakistani to have played the US Open final in 2010 with Rohan Bopanna, broke into top 10 World Ranking in men’s doubles in 2011. During the year he also won three ATP titles at Holland, Stockholm and Thailand.
His most captivating success of the year along with Rohan was the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Paris that also earned him place for the World Tour finals in London.
On personal front, he got married to beautiful and elegant looking British citizen Faha Makhdoom on December 17. Now boasting of several successes in 2011, Aisam has a new year resolution of becoming the top ranked doubles tennis player. And there are reasons to believe him. He is now raring to start off with major grand slam tournament, the Australian Open. On the junior side, his follower, the 19-year-old Samir is seen as the only player to replace Aisam once the Pakistan great bids adieu to the game. This youngster who is on a scholarship from International Tennis Federation is termed as Pakistan’s future hope and dubbed as world class talent by tennis experts.
Like Aisam, Samir is the only Pakistani player to have won four back to back ITF Junior World Ranking titles since his tennis debut in 1998. At such a tender age, he was the only junior Pakistani player who broke the domination of Aqeel Khan, Jalil khan and Yasir Khan by winning the national men’s and junior titles.
He also earned the distinction of being the fittest Under-20 Asian Player by the Asian Tennis Federation at HPEC camp in Thailand.
Being termed as a “new chapter in Pakistan Tennis“ in February 2011, Samir powered his way into the Pakistan Davis Cup team with unbeaten run at the national trials where he ousted experienced Davis Cuppers Jalil Khan and Yasir Khan. He achieved another breakthrough in his career in 2011 by passing his A levels and prerequisite Sat test despite devoting full time to the game and on the recommendation of ITF, he earned a four year Athletic and Educational Scholarship at University of New Mexico where he is being groomed by international coaches.
Samir also finished the 2011 semester in USA with flying colors and matched academic achievement with tennis glory by achieving highest 3.75 (A plus) average in exams and will restart US university in January where hectic NCAA Intervarsity Season awaits for him. Like his mentor Aisam, Samir too has his goals to represent Pakistan in Davis Cup and bring as much laurels for the country as his first cousin.
With the standard of the game declining in the country, and Aisam and Aqeel reaching the peaks of their careers, newly found talent of Samir seems the only hope of the country’s tennis but all he needs is proper support from the PTF, corporate sector as well as the government.
