Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, the legendary Pakistani tennis star who famously defeated Roger Federer in a 2009 doubles match, is now spearheading an ambitious campaign to transform tennis infrastructure and development in his cricket-dominated homeland. The former world No. 8 doubles player, who recently retired after a 25-year professional career, has assumed presidency of the Pakistan Tennis Federation with a clear mission: to build a sustainable tennis ecosystem from the ground up.
Qureshi’s remarkable career included reaching the 2010 US Open finals in both doubles and mixed doubles, an extraordinary achievement for a player emerging from a nation with minimal tennis tradition. Now, he’s leveraging his international experience and connections to bring competitive opportunities to Pakistani players. Under his leadership, Pakistan recently hosted its first ATP Challenger event in Islamabad—a landmark moment for the country’s tennis history.
In an exclusive interview, Qureshi outlined his strategic approach: bringing international tournaments to Pakistan rather than relying on sending players abroad. This method allows local players to earn ranking points and gain international exposure without the financial burden of constant travel. The federation has already secured seven International Tennis Federation junior tournaments for next year, with Pakistani juniors demonstrating immediate success by winning all five recent events.
The greatest challenge remains infrastructure. Unlike cricket, which thrives in urban and rural spaces alike, tennis suffers from limited public facilities. Most courts are located in private clubs requiring paid memberships. Qureshi has devised an innovative solution: leveraging Pakistan’s explosion of padel courts (over 500 nationwide) to introduce mini-tennis programs for children aged 8-10, effectively creating new entry points for youth participation.
Reflecting on his unique journey, Qureshi shared a poignant memory of his victory over Federer. The Swiss maestro surprised him by recalling their junior match from a decade earlier, noting Qureshi remained “the only Pakistani I ever played against.” This encounter symbolized Qureshi’s role as Pakistan’s solitary tennis ambassador on the global stage for over two decades.
Despite opportunities to settle abroad, Qureshi remains committed to his mission. “I feel like my job is not done yet,” he stated, emphasizing his responsibility to develop the sport that gave him so much. Through securing wild cards for Pakistani players in international tournaments and continuing to expand domestic competitive opportunities, Qureshi is determined to create a lasting legacy that extends far beyond his own exceptional career.