Qureshi terms it an honour to partner Paes

Mumbai, Sep 26 (UNI) Pakistan's top player Aisam Qureshi today termed it an honour to partner a doubles great player like Leander Paes in the ongoing 3,80,000 dollar Kingfisher Airlines Tennis Open here.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, Aisam said he is thrilled to be partnering India's doubles expert Leander Paes and said he would not let the home country hero down in the partnership.

''I was playing Davis Cup for Pakistan in China when I got a call from Leander whether I would be willing to play doubles with him in Mumbai as Martin Damm was unavailable and I was thrilled at the offer and readily accepted it,'' the 26-year-old Lahore-born player said.

Qureshi and Paes have been drawn to meet Ramon Delgado of Paraguay and Konstantinos Economidis in the opening round of the men's doubles in the tournament being held at the Cricket Club of India.

Qureshi put their chances as very good in this tournament and said he and Paes were a threat to all in the doubles draw and they need to fear none.

''We are a threat to everybody else, especially with Paes on your side, no other team can take us lightly,'' he pointed out.

The Pakistani, whose singles ranking has plunged to 443 from a career-high 181 in January 2004, said the combination with the experienced Paes gives him a ''golden opportunity which does not come every day''.

Admitting that India no one Rohan Bopanna, with whom he regularly plays on the ATP circuit, had asked him to be his partner earlier on before the offer from Paes came and he accepted it, Aisam said that he expects the duo to be cheered on more than what happened when he played for Pakistan in the Davis Cup tie against India in April on the lawns of the Brabourne Stadium here.

''I have fond memories of that tie. I came to win both my singles and I achieved that goal (beating Bopanna and Prakash Amritraj). The crowd cheered me too and now that I am partnering Paes I expect even better crowd support''.

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