Rohan Bopanna Secures Spot in Australian Open Men’s Doubles Final

Indian tennis stalwart Rohan Bopanna, in partnership with Australian Matthew Ebden, has clinched a place in the Australian Open men’s doubles final, a day after assuring the world No.1 rankings. The second-seeded Indo-Aussie pair displayed their prowess by defeating the Czech-Chinese duo of Tomas Machac and Zhizhen Zhang with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-7) at the Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.

In his 17th appearance at the Australian Open, the 43-year-old Bopanna has achieved a historic milestone by advancing to the men’s doubles finals at Melbourne Park for the first time. This breakthrough comes after never previously progressing beyond the third round in a men’s doubles draw at the tournament.

Remarkably, Bopanna and Ebden have secured a consecutive Grand Slam final appearance as a pair, highlighting their formidable partnership. The duo secured their spot in the finals by defeating sixth-seeded Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) in the quarterfinals.

Bopanna’s victory guarantees him the coveted top spot in the ATP Tour doubles rankings after the tournament, a historic achievement that will make him the oldest first-time world No.1 in history. Joining the elite ranks of Indian tennis legends like Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Sania Mirza, Bopanna’s ascent to the No.1 position solidifies his place in the annals of tennis history.

Notably, the Indian ace made history last year as the oldest man to qualify for a Grand Slam final in the Open era, reaching the US Open final alongside Ebden. Adding to his illustrious career, Bopanna holds the distinction of being the oldest player to secure a men’s doubles title at a Masters event, achieved last year at the age of 43 when he, along with Ebden, emerged victorious at Indian Wells.

–IANS