Pakistani tennis star Aisam Qureshi: Khan will make sports better

Doha, Qatar - Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi is Pakistan's most successful and high-profile tennis player.

For more than two decades, the 38-year-old athlete from Lahore has been flying his country's flag on the sport's highest professional stage, winning trophies and awards.

Qureshi's best results have come on the doubles' court, with a career-high ranking of eight, two US Open finals in 2010, 16 titles and a memorable victory against Swiss superstar Roger Federer.

But, as Qureshi notes, it has not all been smooth sailing for the current top 50 Pakistani doubles' player.

In an interview with Al Jazeera on the sidelines of the Qatar Open, Qureshi talked about the challenges of globe-trotting with a Pakistani passport, the revival of international sports events in the country, and plans to meet the cricketer-turned-prime minister, Imran Khan.

Al Jazeera: You've been the lone flag bearer for Pakistan at the top tier of the international tennis circuit, especially Grand Slams, for more than 20 years now. Why do you think there haven't been any others to follow in your footsteps?

Qureshi: I think the government and the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) have not really been able to cash in on my achievements the way they should have when I was giving results day in and day out in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. The government could have done a lot to promote this game in Pakistan. PTF could have played a very big role to promote the sport in cities where there are no tennis courts.

Ever since I've been playing tennis, I've hardly seen any new courts or tennis centres built in our cities. There are a lot of people and companies who are willing to sponsor tennis and other sports, but we need to seek their help.

Al Jazeera: As a professional tennis player, you're on the road 10 to 11 months of the year playing tournaments and training across the globe. What sort of challenges did you face travelling with a Pakistani passport?

Qureshi: I had to face a lot every year. My visas have been rejected many times. There are places I want to go and play where I have not been able to. There were a few times I couldn't get a visa for Canada and I missed playing the Roger's Cup. Last year, I wanted to go to China for two to three weeks of training, but I was not able to get the visa.

There are a lot of times when I'm on the road and I have to go back to Pakistan and apply for the visas, which is a pain in the neck, but somehow I try to manage it and schedule tournaments accordingly.

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