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Rohan Bopanna, 43, becomes oldest Grand Slam champion with Australian Open doubles triumph

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Rohan Bopanna wins maiden men’s doubles Grand Slam title just days after being assured of becoming No. 1 in ATP men’s doubles ranking.

India's Rohan Bopanna and Australia's Matthew Ebden celebrate with the trophy after winning the men's doubles final against Italy's Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori(REUTERS)
India’s Rohan Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Ebden celebrate with the trophy after winning the men’s doubles final against Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori(REUTERS)

Rohan Bopanna on Saturday became the oldest-ever player to win a Grand Slam after he and Matthew Ebden beat the Italian pair of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6(0), 7-5 in the 2024 Australian Open men’s doubles final. The 43-year old Bopanna beat the record of Jean-Julien Rojer, who lifted the French Open men’s doubles trophy in 2022 with Marcelo Arevola at the age of 40.

For Bopanna and Ebden, it was their maiden title together. They lost in the US Open final last year. This was Bopanna’s first Grand Slam doubles triumph after 60 attempts — another record. The India great’s only previous Grand Slam win was at the 2017 French Open in mixed doubles, with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski.

For Ebden, this is his second men’s Grand Salm doubles title. He won his first at Wimbledon in 2022 with fellow Australian Max Purcell.

In 16 previous appearances at the Australian Open, Bopanna’s best was third round appeaances, which he managed six times, the last in 2018. He had since been knocked out in opening rounds, including with Ebden in 2023.

En route to winning the doubles title, Bopanna was assured of the No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles on Monday after winning his quarter-final match, making him the oldest player ever to hold the top spot for the first time.

The final, despite the straight-set win, was a hard-fought battle. There was only one break of serve, when Bopanna and Ebden broke Vavassori at love in the 11th game of the second set.

Bopanna and Ebden looked for an early breakthrough in the contest against an unseeded pair and created break point opportunities in back-to-back games, but were denied on both occasions as the opening set headed to a tie-break. The Indo-Aussie pair didn’t lose a tie-braker all fortnight, which included two super tie-breaks, and the record remained intact as they won all seven points on offer to take a one-set lead.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> News> Sports> Tennis News / by HT Sports Desk / January 27th, 2024