Sport meets politics at the US Open

[TBF]

By Matt Majendie
NEW YORK | Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:14pm EDT

(Reuters) - Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi used the platform of the U.S. Open to deliver a message of peace on the eve of the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

Qureshi lost in Friday's men's doubles final alongside India's Rohan Bopanna, the other half of a unique partnership nicknamed the "Indo-Pak Express."

In his on-court after-match speech, Qureshi said: "I feel there's a very wrong perception of Pakistan as a terrorist country.

"We are a very peace-loving country and we want peace as much as you."

Peace has very much been the message of Bopanna and Qureshi since their doubles partnership began with them sporting "Stop War, Start Tennis" sweatshirts in a bid to improve relations between their two countries.

Qureshi delved further into the message he was trying to get across at Arthur Ashe Stadium after the 7-6 7-6 defeat to Americans Bob and Mike Bryan.

"Since September 11, every time I come to the States or Western countries, I feel people have the wrong impression about Pakistan as a terrorist nation," he said.

"There are extremists I think in every religion but, just because of them, you can't judge the whole country as a terrorist nation.

"I just want to get this message across as a Pakistani."

... more at this link: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6885M920100910

(Editing by Steve Ginsburg)

[Forkboy]

1. Error: You can't recommend threads from this forum

[MaineDem]

2. This is a great story. n/t

[a la izquierda]

3. Excellent...

I grew up friends with a Pakistani family. They are the nicest people you ever want to meet. I remind my mother of this every time she goes off on one of her 9/11 rants (she's from NYC and I grew up in NJ; it's *her* city they attacked).
Every once in a while, I like sports stories like this.

[TBF]

4. Qureshi is 30 years old so we may not see him on the courts

much longer, but I hope he will continue as an announcer or something. We need more fearless folks like this to speak up.