An unrelenting drizzle delayed the start of play for over two and a half hours here at Wimbledon. That time lost means that one player is uncertain whether he'll play on Monday. It's likely that he would have spent time trying to focus on his strategy. He'd have also thought about how it's the first time he's made it to the men’s singles, after qualifying four days ago when he defeated Canadian Frank Dancevic. It may not have crossed his mind, but this player has a special distinction, he's the first player in 31 years playing in a Grand Slam tournament from Pakistan.
Yes, we are talking of Aisam-ul Qureshi.
Pakistan's sole entrant to this year's championships had said earlier that qualifying itself was a dream come true. Qureshi also explained that he had grown up on grass courts in Pakistan and that Wimbledon was his favourite tournament. He's played twice here in the Men’s Doubles section before, making it to the 3rd round in 2001. Qureshi has had a successful career in Junior tennis, finishing No. 11 in the World in 1998.
Whatever the outcome of his first-round match, Qureshi will have the support of his friends in the Indian contigent.

Bonding
On the tennis circuit, there's real bonding between the tennis players from India and Pakistan, regular circuit meeting in the sub-continent giving rise to a cheerful bonhomie.
The Lahore-born six-footer has good relationships with his Indian counterparts.
Qureshi is on good terms with the men on the Indian side. India's Davis cup skipper Leander Paes has even teamed up with Qureshi in the past. In fact, the Indo-Pak duo played last year’s Kingfisher Airlines Open tennis tournament together after Paes' regular partner Martin Damm dropped out. Together they enthralled a full crowd with some on the spot team-play, Qureshi's striking serves complementing Leader Paes' delicate net lobs. Sadly the duo were knocked out by eventual winners, Mahesh Bhupathi and Mario Ancic.
In a fashion show at the same tournament, there was a display of camaraderie and some male eye-candy, as Aisam sportingly got together with four other tennis pros Rohan Bopanna, Dmitry Tursunov and Thomas Berdych to walk the ramp!
The right hander plays regularly in India. In fact in 2004, he was cheered to victory in the final of the Syndicate Bank $10,000 ITF men's Futures tournament where he won beating Todor Enev of Bulgaria with 12 aces.
So is the 259th-ranked lone Pakistani ranger going to ride on those powerful serves to make it past the first round? That's one for the whimsical rain gods. In SW19, they reign supreme. Luckily for him, a part of his dream has already come true.