Jewish-Muslim team wonders about fuss

WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND - Amir Hadad and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi can&#39;t figure out what all the fuss is about. <br> <br> Hadad, a Jew from Israel, and Qureshi, a Muslim from Pakistan, decided to team up in the Wimbledon qualifying tournament in doubles. They won two rounds and reached the main draw. <br> <br> That&#39;s when tennis clashed with their dual cultures. <br> <br> ``I never thought it was going to become such a big thing,&#39;&#39; Qureshi said Monday after he and Hadad lost their third-round match 6-1, 7-6 (5), 6-4 to Cyril Suk and Martin Damm. ``We&#39;re not here to change anything: politicians and governments do that.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Qureshi has faced criticism at home, with the Pakistan Sports Board threatening to suspend him for playing with an Israeli. Qureshi said Monday he had not heard from sports officials. <br> <br> ``There&#39;s going to be some negative and positive,&#39;&#39; he said. ``But nobody has contacted me yet. I&#39;m going to go home after two months, so we will see what happens.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The two, who have known each other for two or three years from playing lower-tier Challenger events, may team up again for the U.S. Open. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s the first time I&#39;ve made it to the main draw of a Grand Slam - with him,&#39;&#39; Qureshi said. ``I wouldn&#39;t mind, for sure. I don&#39;t like to interfere religion or politics into sport.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Hadad agreed. <br> <br> ``Like Aisam says, we came to play tennis,&#39;&#39; he said. ``When he asked me to play, we didn&#39;t even think it&#39;s going to get so big. There are some people who want to make headlines out of this, say bad things. <br> <br> ``But I see only positives that two guys from different nationalities can play together. We are good friends, and I think we&#39;re going to keep playing together in the future.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Qureshi said he has played with an Israeli partner before - ``in smaller events, Futures and stuff. I know all the Israelis on the tour. <br> <br> ``And we all like him,&#39;&#39; interjected Hadad. ``We have no problem with him.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Qureshi, ranked 270th in singles and 163rd in doubles, was a good choice for doubles because of both his ability and personality, Hadad said. <br> <br> ``We&#39;ve known each other for a long, long time, and I knew that Aisam is very good on grass, good serve and volley,&#39;&#39; Hadad said. ``I picked him up only because of his talent and skills, and I like him as a person. We have fun together.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Hadad said he had heard only positive reaction from Israel, while Qureshi said he had been told by a Pakistani journalist that the media back home is supporting him. <br> <br> Qureshi said that if he was suspended, it would be the Pakistan Sports Board&#39;s loss - ``if I believe I could do well with Amir in the big events, I&#39;ll stay and play with him.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Both players have trouble combining their religions with the rigors of the international tour. Qureshi said it is ``tough to pray five times a day,&#39;&#39; while Hadad said he can&#39;t always find kosher food. <br> <br> Qureshi lives in Lahore, Pakistan, but practices in Amsterdam with his Dutch coach. Hadad lives in Ramla, an eastern suburb of Tel Aviv. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s always sad to see people get killed for nothing,&#39;&#39; Hadad said of the cycle of Israeli-Palestinian violence. ``But we are trying to stay positive. Maybe it will be good in the future.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> And perhaps the unique doubles combination will help, Qureshi said. <br> <br> ``We&#39;re just here to play the game and enjoy it,&#39;&#39; he said. ``But if everybody takes it a positive way, I&#39;ll take it.&#39;&#39;