The 35-year-old has racked up 11 doubles titles but the defining moment of Aisam's career was undoubtedly the 2010 US Open final.
The 'Indo-Pak Express', as the pair of Aisam and India's Rohan Bopanna came to be known, lost the match to the Bryan brothers of the US, 7-6(5), 7-6(4), but the two players left a mark on the world stage.
Five years on from that momentous day, Pakistan is hardly a tennis force, though, and according to Aisam there's no one to replace him or Aqeel Khan on the Davis Cup team as both players turn 36 this year.
In an exclusive interview with Dawn, Aisam talks about the state of the game in the country, the prospect of playing with Sania Mirza and the day he took on Roger Federer in a doubles match and triumphed.
Q: How hopeful are you about the future of this game in the country?
Aisam: In the current scenario Pakistan is struggling to produce international level tennis talent.
I don’t see a player good enough to replace Aqeel Khan or myself and feature for Pakistan at the Davis Cup.
Unfortunately, the Pakistan Tennis Federation and the government have failed to provide any kind of assistance for the growth of the game in the country. I am hopeful things will change as new people have recently joined the PTF.
But we will have to wait for at least five or six more years to see Pakistan produce a player who can compete and win at the world stage.
Q: Pakistan has struggled to do well in tennis unlike India, which has produced several world class players. What do you think is the major difference?
Aisam: The tennis circuit in Pakistan is not vast enough but it’s even more alarming that the emerging talent is now starting to look for opportunities abroad — particularly tennis scholarships in foreign universities.
The players opt to play for their respective university which abates their desire to pursue the sport as a profession.
For more detail Interview: Pakistan faces long wait for Aisam's successor
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