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While their two nations can't get along at all either in the political arena or in the sports world, Rohan Bopanna of India and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan find ways to make their relationship work on and off the tennis court. On Sunday the pair were rewarded with their first ever doubles title together at the SA Tennis Open in Johannesburg.
The Indo-Pak pair playing in their third ATP Tour final together, still chasing their first win, started the match tentatively and soon found themselves a set down against the experienced pairing of Karol Beck and Harel Levy. Bopanna and Qureshi found respite with the rain pelting down at 2-6, 1-1, and came out of the delay a changed unit.
Bopanna said, "The rain delay helped. We spoke a little bit. We said 'We're here to fight and win'. We came out and started winning by playing aggressive tennis, the way we do normally."Bopanna and Qureshi broke serve in the 6th game to pull ahead 4-2, and levelled the match at a set apiece soon thereafter. The match headed into a deciding tiebreak, and the younger pair ran away with it 10-5 to seal the win in a little over an hour.
Speaking after the match Qureshi said, "I think it's a great achievement. As a team we are really, really good and we can be in the Top 10 definitely together. Today's win definitely proves it because the chips were really down and we were able to find the solution to get back."
Final Score:
Rohan Bopanna / Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi d. Karol Beck / Harel Levy 2-6, 6-3, 10-5
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