I finished watching the tennis US open last night and it was a brilliant final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Nadal won 3 sets to 1 with the last set being 6 games to 2. But this scoreline doesn't reflect on how close and how brilliant this match actually was. The day before in the womens' final, the lovely Kim Clijsters defeated Vera Zvonareva (who has defeated Clijsters twice this year) very easily 6-1 and 6-2 with Zvonareva crying a lot after the match was over. I was glad Clijsters won as her story is amazing. Just a couple of years ago retiring from tennis, having a baby, returning to tennis and after playing just a handful of games, drew a wild card in the 2009 US open, winning it and winning it again this year! Amazing. Unlike most of the other female tennis players who pose in magazines in their skimpy outfits trying to be sexy, Clijsters actually focuses on her tennis and this makes her more appealing then the rest of the others put together.
However, the most intriguing thing about the whole tournament was in the mens' doubles. In the final, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in straight sets defeating Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Hul-Haq Qureshi. An Indian and a Pakistani.
Admittedly, I didn't watch any of the doubles matches ( I never do) apart from this final and after the match had finished the announcer said it was nice and good to see an Indian and Pakistani teaming up, with the crowd going wild with applause. I myself was in shock throughout the whole match that this had happened in the first place (athough apparently this pairing have been together for a few years). Qureshi making a long speech about how the whole world, especially in the USA people think that Pakistanis are a bad bunch but claiming it was just the minority, with the majority of Pakistanis and Muslims being a peaceful lot. (The match took place on the anniversary of 9/11).
For anyone that doesn't know, there is a LOT of bad blood between India and Pakistan. The most notable occurrence being a terrorist shooting and bombing attack from Pakistan in Mumbai in November 2008. At least 173 people were killed and at least 308 were wounded. There has been a rivalry between these countries since the very beginning. On a more personal note, I myself was bullied by Pakistanis for nearly my whole school life, was stabbed in the hand with a pallet knife during my first job after I left school and it sure hasn't been an easy road. However, I feel that if an Indian and a Pakistani can team up in tennis like Bopanna and Qureshi have and carry on their "Stop war and start tennis" campaign and promoting peace through sports, then anything is possible. But this is going to take a lot of time. I am talking decades-but this is a start at least. For a full interview with Bopanna and Qureshi before the final, go to http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/interviews/2010-09-08/201009081283985860863.html
