Double on a peace mission
The sport can cross borders: In Paris, enter the double Aisam Qureshi, the Pakistani Muslim and Hindu, the Indian Rohan Bopanna in common.
If Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal walk in these days by the players lounge of Roland Garros, always walk a few dozen pairs of eyes with them. The superstars of the tennis industry will be in Paris pursued at every turn - sometimes with discrete, sometimes with no hidden eyes of competitors, coaches, representatives of the sponsors, the tournament manager.
Federer and Nadal are the central star in a universe in which literally everything revolves around them. They are even in a tournament like Roland Garros, where it should go to athletic equality and fraternity in the competition courted as the king. You get the best seats, the best training times, the best match fixtures, even if they do not ask.
Rohan Bopanna and Qureshi Aisam be hardly noticed in the huge caravan of nomads professional establishment in which size is defined too often in prize money, inaugural award or glittering, headline appearances. Here are the 30-year-old Pakistani Muslim, Indian Hindu Qureshi and Bopanna same age, two of the most outstanding protagonists of the global tennis tour, two avant-garde, swim against the tide of public conventions, sentiments and prejudices in their home countries.
Qureshi and Bopanna to play on the same side of the net in a friendly alliance tennis (and survived the first round on Sunday), is nothing less than a sensation. An even greater sensation than if Federer or Nadal would resign before a possible final next Sunday.
"We're just one example of how to live together peacefully," said Qureshi, overcomes a diplomat in short pants, with polished words describing a partnership, "the boundaries and ditches. Just recently got the two world-class doubles player demonstrates involuntary how amazing their own liaison is still - as a fact in India and Pakistan, the two uncanny neighboring nuclear powers, a storm of indignation about the announced marriage of Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and the Pakistan Cricket Stars Shoab Malik broke out. Politicians and populist tabloids zündelten long and hard, but ultimately in vain: The couple dared, against all odds. "We are very happy for the two," said Bopanna.
Sultry Bollywood Fans
On the tennis tour found the almost statesmanlike Qureshi and the teen-stormy Bopanna together easily, without having to shave tight around the political climate and military entanglements: "There are many lonely moments, if you are the whole year on the road in this sport," says Bopanna, "it was nice to be able to converse with someone who understands your language pretty well." Bopanna speaks Hindi, Urdu Qureshi, but it's close together, at least closer than most people who speak those languages.
As Qureshi and Bopanna then agreed to the joint appearance in the doubles, they were initially pragmatic partner, which everyone was happy for himself, "to have found a good neighbor" (Qureshi). But soon they were also friends, "which sparked a wave" (Bopanna), although they are fundamentally different in character. Incidentally, although both are hot-blooded Bollywood fans, but football routes divide: Qureshi is Liverpool-freak, Bopanna fired at Manchester United. "If the play goes against each other, things get to us," said Bopanna.
Qureshi, the only Pakistani in top international tennis, so to speak, is a veteran of the sport Crossing Boundaries: In 2002, the provocateur was sympathetic to the Israeli Amir Hadad in Tour competitions at the start, accompanied by shrill noise in both nations. "Sport is for me free of all conflicts. If there is anything that connects people, then sports, "said Qureshi, an idealist, but living example of his ideals into practice. With his Jewish companions Hadad, he reached in that year at Wimbledon, even the third round, and later they were both from the players' union the ATP Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award ".
The closer in the late career years, the friendship grew Bopanna, the better was the interaction on the tennis fields: "I understand so well with him that I am blind, what he does - and what not," says Qureshi. The Pakistani is the man who has the good touch, which brings the feints and tricks into the game.Bopanna stands for power, dynamic straightness. "Two players from these two countries, which are complementary just perfect," says the former world number one Mats Wilander (Sweden), "a wonderful thing."
Even big plans
The fact that they both focus almost exclusively on the tennis Affairs for two beats, positively reflected in their job reference: In Johannesburg, they won the season beginning, like their first ATP title, before Roland Garros, they were also in the doubles final in Nice. Advanc Qureshi also became the first Pakistani in doubles in the top 50 of the best rating.
Since his home has a sponsorship agreement with Pepsi and spots with him to run in TV breaks the national sport cricket, he will anyway perceived quite differently: "If the kids only see cricket players in advertising, they think that they only earn money can. And suddenly, I dive on in advertising. "
You do not have big plans for these two unpretentious artists of international understanding. When it comes to them, will soon again on the only road border crossing between Pakistan and India put up a net in Wagah. Then there is a tennis training session to give children from both countries. Qureshi, the Pakistani will be on Indian soil. And Bopanna, the Indians on Pakistani soil. It is still a dream, a vision of the two professionals. But who, if they do not, it could create. "We want to give others the strength to tear down walls in the head," says Qureshi.
NOTE :
This is computer translation of the original article in German.
