Rohan Bopanna of India and his partner Matthew Ebden from Australia clinched the Australian Open men’s doubles title. Their victory not only secured them the coveted championship but also etched Bopanna’s name in history as the oldest player to reach the number one spot in men’s doubles.
Facing off against the unseeded Italian duo Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori on the iconic Rod Laver Arena, Bopanna and Ebden displayed finesse and determination, ultimately triumphing with a straight-sets win of 7-6 (7/0), 7-5. This triumph marked their inaugural title as a team and a long-awaited milestone for Bopanna, who had endured 60 previous Grand Slam attempts before tasting victory, setting a record along the way.
Their stellar performance didn’t just earn them applause; it also fattened their wallets with a handsome prize of 730,000 Australian dollars, equivalent to a whopping 3 crores 98 lakh Indian rupees.
The match itself was a spectacle of top-notch tennis, with Bopanna and Ebden showcasing their prowess on the court. Their serve was virtually impenetrable, winning an impressive 80 per cent of games with their first delivery and not even allowing their opponents a sniff at a break point.
In the realm of Indian tennis, the spotlight has often shone on legends like Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, but Bopanna’s victory adds another chapter to the nation’s tennis history. While icons like Sania Mirza have left their mark in women’s tennis, Bopanna’s triumph is a testament to his resilience and skill.
This isn’t Bopanna’s first taste of Grand Slam glory, however. In 2017, he clinched the French Open mixed doubles title with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski, proving that age is just a number when it comes to achieving greatness on the court.
At 43 years young, Bopanna has rewritten the record books, becoming the oldest Grand Slam champion in men’s tennis, surpassing the previous record held by Jean-Julien Rojer. With his name now etched in tennis history, Bopanna’s legacy as a champion is sealed with a golden flourish.