Indian tennis player Amrit Vats and Pakistan’s Muhammad Yahya have teamed up to win the boys’ doubles title at the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors J30 tournament in Djibouti.The pair defeated Thailand’s David Awayo and Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed Bahaa Srouji 6-2, 6-4 in straight sets.Their victory brings back memories of the famous Indian-Pakistani doubles partnership between Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, who earned the nickname “Indo-Pak Express” for their success on the international tennis circuit.
A win that recalls the Indo-Pak Express
Bopanna and Qureshi became one of tennis’ most recognised doubles teams, reaching the 2010 US Open men’s doubles final before losing to the Bryan brothers.The pair won five ATP titles together, including the 2011 Paris Masters, along with tournaments in Dubai, Johannesburg, Halle and Stockholm. Both also reached the top 10 in the doubles rankings.Beyond tennis, they used their partnership to promote peace between India and Pakistan through their ‘Stop War, Start Tennis’ campaign. They wore specially designed T-shirts to spread their message and received the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award in 2010 for their efforts.Amrit and Yahya’s latest achievement recalls that period when athletes from the two neighbouring countries could compete together despite political tensions.
Can sport bridge the India-Pakistan divide?
India and Pakistan have long shared a complicated relationship, but sports have often provided opportunities for people from both countries to come together.In recent years, however, political tensions have increasingly affected sporting ties.Following the Pahalgam attack, India adopted a tougher stance towards Pakistan, with even customary handshakes between players becoming a point of discussion in cricket.Pakistan, meanwhile, have also resisted playing matches in India across various sports.The doubles victory in Djibouti does not change the wider political situation, but it offers a reminder that sporting partnerships can still bring Indian and Pakistani athletes together.Whether more such partnerships emerge will depend not only on the players but also on how relations between the two countries develop in the future.
