NEW YORK Pakistans Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi was thwarted in his first attempt to win a US Open doubles title when he and partner Kveta Peschke lost to Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan in Thursdays mixed doubles final.
The US top seeds defeated Qureshi and his Czech partner 6-4, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the crown, Bryans fourth US Open mixed doubles title in eight years, each of them coming with a different partner.
“Too good. They were the better team,” Qureshi said.
Qureshi had hoped to win both the mens and mixed doubles titles in tribute to the 21 million flood victims in his homeland from a crisis that began six weeks ago.
Qureshi and mens doubles partner Rohan Bopanna of India, a 16th-seeded duo trying to foster peace between their rival homelands, will face top seeds Bryan and his brother Mike in Fridays US Open final.
“It has been tough times at home due to the flooding and the terrorist attacks,” Qureshi said. “Im glad Kveta was able to help me bring some good news to the people back home.”
Qureshi stared up at fans in the largest tennis stadium in the world and told the crowd, “I never ever will forget this moment for the rest of my life.”Peschke, whom Qureshi called the most famous Czech woman in Pakistan, was proud of the effort by the duo in a first-time pairing.
“It was amazing. It was a really great experience, first time together,”she said. “Lets hope the next times are even better than this one.”
Bob Bryan announced that he and his brothers foundation would donate to Pakistan flood relief, a cause for which aid has come at a painfully slow pace with only two-thirds of the United Nations goal of 460 million dollars raised to date.
“Mr. Qureshi is a great player,” Bob Bryan said. “What him and Bopanna are doing for world peace is incredible.”
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