In a heartwarming move aimed at empowering underprivileged children, India’s leading tennis player, Rohan Bopanna, has selected 25 promising youngsters from remote regions of Majuli Island and Bongaigaon in Assam to receive comprehensive tennis training.
This collaborative effort between the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy (RBTA) and Kamal India Foundation UK seeks to provide extensive support to children aged between 9 and 11.
Following a rigorous assessment process, which saw around 300 children showcasing their skills and fitness, Bopanna personally handpicked the final 25 players for inclusion in the program.
The selected candidates will be relocated to Bengaluru, where they will benefit from state-of-the-art infrastructure, a world-class tennis curriculum, and guidance from experienced coaching staff.
Additionally, boarding and lodging facilities within the school campus, along with educational support, will be provided.
Notably, Bopanna himself will offer mentorship and guidance at RBTA.
When asked about the specific selection of players from Assam, Bopanna cited a request from a sponsor.
“One of the reasons was that a donor wanted kids to be selected from the North East. We thought why not? It does not matter which part of the country kids come from; it is an incredible opportunity,” he stated.
Expressing enthusiasm about the partnership with Kamal India Foundation UK, Bopanna emphasized the aim to nurture athletic talents while empowering children with education and life skills essential for their future.
At 44 years old, Bopanna, who recently attained the top ranking on the ATP Tour, remains committed to the program’s expansion.
“Out of 300, we got 25. Now these will remain. The plan is to support them till the 10th or 12th standard. We keep adding more kids to the program. Every year we will have players from different regions,” he affirmed.
As, Padma Shri, Rohan Bopanna prepares to compete at the Paris Games, his initiative stands as a beacon of hope for aspiring young athletes, promising a brighter future for underprivileged children through the transformative power of sport and education.
source: http://www.northeasttoday.in / Northeast Today / Home> Assam> Featured> Northeast> Sports / by NET Web Desk / May 03rd, 2024
Racket science: Ayaz Memon and Rohan Bopanna | Amey Mansabdar
Age no bar, cartilage no bar. Rohan Bopanna, at age 43―or level 43 as he likes to call it―became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam when he and partner Matthew Ebden won the Australian Open earlier this year. Not only was the feat impressive in itself, the fact that he did so with no cartilage in his knees made it an insane achievement.
There was a time in 2006 when, following a shoulder surgery, Bopanna wondered if he would ever compete again. Nearly two decades later, he is world No. 1 in men’s doubles and has his sights set on the Paris Olympics.
It was this journey of grit and persistence that Bopanna shared with THE WEEK’s Sports Consultant Ayaz Memon at the magazine’s Sportsroom event presented by HSBC at the bank’s India headquarters in Fort, Mumbai, on April 4.
As the stories swirled inside the colonial-era art deco building, the audience got a peek into not just Bopanna’s life, but also that of Indian tennis as a whole. The conversation―breezy and insightful―covered a lot of ground, including why there is a paucity of talent in Indian tennis currently, how Iyengar yoga and ice baths kept his body going, his love of coffee and exploring cities, the loneliness of travel, and how he came back from the dark days of his career.
As it turned out, he is proficient not only with racket in hand, but also on the mic. Sitting on stage in a light-blue jacket, wearing a gold locket with two crossed knives―a nod to his Coorgi roots―Bopanna talked about how he went from being a young singles player to a grizzled doubles veteran who is now like an uncle on the international circuit.
“Age never worried me,” he said. “We set our limitations ourselves. When you change limitations into opportunities, you have a better perspective.”
Jaswinder Sodhi, Head of Customers, Digital and Marketing, Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC India; Ranganath Ananth, Head of Distribution, Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC India; Bopanna; Memon; and Shubham Golash, Director and Regional Head (West), Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC India.
His lowest point, he recalled, was in 2021, when he did not win a match for five months. That is when he told his wife, Supriya, a psychologist, that he was thinking of quitting. He was not enjoying it anymore. She told him he could do it, but urged him not to do so when he was down. And that triggered something.
Bopanna talked candidly and at length about mental and physical toughness, but he also sprinkled in some amusing anecdotes. In 2008, for instance, he made a pact with his then physio Shayamal Vallabhjee that if he entered a Grand Slam quarterfinal, they would both shave their heads. It was a self-motivation tool. So, at Wimbledon 2010, when he lost in the quarterfinals, he headed to the locker room and straightaway went next door to the barbershop. After the deed was done, he walked past his family, and his mother did a double take. She had just seen her son, with a full head of hair, playing on court half an hour ago. “It tells you that you need to have a little bit of madness in you to become a champion,” noted Memon.
Talking of champions, Bopanna also weighed in on the GOAT debate, saying that while Roger Federer was his favourite, Novak Djokovic was the best athlete. As for Indians, he said he had seen a lot of improvement in Sumit Nagal in the past one year.
Bopanna did not shy away from some of the prickly questions Memon had. For instance, on the friction in the past between the Indian tennis federation and the players. “Any time the federation was involved in picking the team, we had an issue,” said Bopanna, evoking chuckles from the 50-odd invitees, some of them lifelong tennis fans and players. “When the federation was not involved, it was smooth sailing.”
Among those in attendance were THE WEEK’s Chief Associate Editor and Director Riyad Mathew, who talked about the importance of sport in life; those from the bank were: Jaswinder Sodhi, Head of Customers, Digital and Marketing, Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC India; Ranganath Ananth, Head of Distribution, Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC India; Shubham Golash, Director and Regional Head (West), Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC India; Arkaprava Ray, Head, Marketing Strategy, Brand Partnerships, IP and Sponsorships, Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC India; and Sandeep Sethi, SVP and Branch Head, Fort Mumbai, HSBC India.
Bopanna went on to explain that in professional tennis, a player essentially does everything themselves, like entering tournaments and funding their careers, which includes paying for air fare, coaches and physios. But for events like the Davis Cup, Asian Games and the Olympics, the federation has to enter them. Also, when picking teams, the federation might not go with the pair that has been playing together for a long time. This is where the problem lies. “Doubles is like a love marriage,” he said, “and when it came to the Olympics and such events, it was an arranged marriage.”
Asked if he was going to have a go at tennis administration and what changes he would affect were he sports minister, Bopanna said, “I would love to be part of it…. We need to come together to make the sport work.” He added that the first step would be to broadcast matches of all Indians representing their country in tennis worldwide. In fact, before the event, Bopanna had told THE WEEK that he had in the past called up broadcasters to ask them whether they were going to show his matches.
Those days are now over; that he is firmly a star was evident by the rush at the end of the event to get a photo clicked with the ace.
source: http://www.theweek.in / The Week / Home> Magazine> The Week / by Anirudh Madhavan, Mumbai / Issue Date April 21st, 2024 / Updated April 14th, 2024
With the win, Bopanna surpassed his record created last year when he won the Indian Wells title at the age of 43, and also reclaimed the top spot in the doubles ranking.
Ace Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna rewrote his own record to continue to be the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion as he and his Australian partner Matt Ebden clinched the men’s doubles crown at the Miami Open here.
Continuing their fine run this year, the 44-year-old Bopanna and Ebden fought back from a set down to pull off an exhilarating 6-7(3), 6-3, 10-6 win over Crotia’s Ivan Dodig and American Austin Krajicek at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.
With the win, Bopanna surpassed his record created last year when he won the Indian Wells title at the age of 43, and also reclaimed the top spot in the doubles ranking.
“It’s amazing. As long as you are doing well in these big events, it’s what we play for,” Bopanna said after the win.
“I want to do well in the Masters 1000s and the Grand Slams. It’s good to keep that record going and keep giving everyone else a run for their money,” added Bopanna, who won his maiden doubles Grand Slam title at the Australian Open earlier this year.
This was Bopanna’s 14th ATP Masters 1000 final. Overall, it was the veteran Indian player’s 63rd ATP Tour level final and 26th doubles title.
Bopanna also achieved a rare feat as he became the second Indian after Leander Paes to reach the final of all nine ATP Masters events.
Bopanna and Ebden, the top seeds for the tournament, tapped into their deep reservoir of experience to fetch the final six points of the summit clash. They had three set points on serve at 6-5 in the opening set but their second-seeded opponents warded off all three to force a tiebreaker before taking a 1-0 lead.
“It’s tough. These guys, they fight back in tough moments,” said Ebden.
“Last time we played them it was similar, it’s a bit of a see-saw. They return so well, make so many balls and we missed one or two shots when we were up [at the end of] the first set. They played a great tie-break, and then we just reset.” Bopanna and Ebden then staged a comeback as they broke their opponent early in the second set which helped them level the game.
Like the opening two sets, the tiebreaker was also fought on an even keel with the reigning Australian Open champions emerging victorious.
Following the Australian Open triumph, Bopanna climbed to the world No.1 spot in the ATP rankings, becoming the oldest player to do so. But slipped to the second spot in the doubles rankings after a quarterfinal loss at the Dubai Championships and a round-of-32 exit at the Indian Wells Masters.
But with the win here, the pair will be back to the top spot.
source:http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Tennis / by PTI / March 31st, 2024
Bopanna was accompanied by his family during the meeting with the CM on February 13.
Parents of tennis player Rohan Bopanna watch him being felicitated by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on February 13, 2024. Bopanna became only the third Indian to win a men’s doubles Grand Slam title, taking the Australian Open crown with partner Matthew Ebden after a win over Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the final. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah felicitated tennis player Rohan Bopanna for winnig the men’s doubles Australian Open title and announced a prize of ₹50 lakh.
Bopanna was accompanied by his family during the meeting on February 13 with the CM who was accompanied by Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge, Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj S. Thangadagi, and his political secretary Govindaraju.
On social media platform X, Mr Siddaramaiah posted: “Met and congratulated Rohan Bopanna, who won the men’s doubles title of Australian Open tennis tournament and announced a prize of ₹50 lakh.”
Bopanna became only the third Indian to win a men’s doubles Grand Slam title, taking the Australian Open crown with partner Matthew Ebden after a win over Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the final.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / The Hindu Bureau / February 13th, 2024
It is very humbling for me to reach these heights from the beautiful land of Coorg, says tennis stalwart Bopanna, the recipient of the Ace of Aces honour.
Great feeling: Bopanna receives the award from Viren Rasquinha, right, and L.V. Navaneeth, CEO, The Hindu Group, as Leander Paes applauds. | Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak
Australian Open men’s doubles champion Rohan Bopanna won the Ace of Aces award at the Sportstar Aces Awards 2024 held at the Taj Mahal Palace here on Thursday.
Bopanna received the award from fellow tennis player and Grand Slam champion, Leander Paes. “I always wished I could play doubles with Bopanna,” Paes said.
Bopanna recently became the oldest player, aged 43, to achieve the World No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles.
Wonderful athletes
“We are constantly travelling and playing tournaments, so it feels great to come here and meet all these wonderful athletes that India has produced. My goal was to win a men’s doubles Grand Slam and to reach the World No. 1 ranking. After years and years of sacrifice, I have finally realised my dream,” Bopanna said.
“It is very humbling for me to reach these heights from the beautiful land of Coorg. It was my parents who insisted that I train in an individual sport. That is when my tennis journey started, in Coorg. And now I have gone all the way across the world to win a Grand Slam in Melbourne,” Bopanna said.
He explained that his focus on adequate recovery changed the path of his career. “I started to focus on recovery at the end of 2019. My cartilages in the knee had fully worn out. I took around two or three painkillers a day. Doctor told me to try platelet-rich plasma injections. But just injections will not work; I had to do strengthening exercises. That’s when I discovered Iyengar Yoga.
“I was in extreme pain, so I gave it a try. Because of Iyengar Yoga, I can now play tennis without pain. I never thought this day will come,” Bopanna said.s
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sports> Other Sports> SportStar Aces Award 2024 / by Ashwin Achal / February 09th, 2024
Rohan Bopanna presents his Australian Open 2024 winning racket to PM Modi
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, met tennis player Rohan Bopanna Friday. He praised Bopanna for winning the Australian Open, saying that his accomplishment makes India proud.
The Prime Minister posted on X:
“Glad to have met you Rohan Bopanna. Your accomplishment makes India proud and your dedication motivates several people. My best wishes for your endeavours ahead.”
Rohan Bopanna ended India’s six-year drought for the Grand Slam by clinching his maiden Australian Open 2024 title in the men’s doubles with Australia’s Matthew Ebden. Bopanna also topped the ATP rankings in doubles after reaching the final at Melbourne Park on January 24.
Meanwhile Tennis player Rohan Bopanna tweets, “I had the privilege to meet our honourable Prime Minister Modi today. This acknowledgement is very humbling & it was my honour to present the very racket that led me to become World No. 1 and the AO grand slam champion. Your grace has left me inspired & encouraged.”
The 43-year-old Bengaluru-born Bopanna became the only fourth Indian after legendary Sania Mirza, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati to clinch the Grand Slam title and top the ATP rankings in doubles. Bopanna also scripted history at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou by claiming a Gold medal in the mixed doubles with Rutuja Bhosale.
source: http://www.theindianawaaz.com / The Indian Awaaz / Home / February 03rd, 2024
The 43-year-old Rohan Bopanna is the fourth Indian to win a Grand Slam title.
Rohan Bopanna (extreme left) with his family (Via Rohan Bopanna Instagram)
Rohan Bopanna is a professional tennis player from India. Born on 4th March 1980, Bopanna went on to become the oldest World No.1. The 43-year-old specializes mainly in doubles.
Throughout his career, Rohan Bopanna had tasted major success in the doubles division. He has won 24 ATP doubles titles. However, he is still to win a men’s doubles title in the Major Grand Slam. His best performance in the men’s double in Grand Slam came at the US Open in 2010 and 2023 when he reached the finals of the competition.
Bopanna has also reached the semis of the Grand Slams thrice at the Wimbledon and once at the French Open. However, he has won a mixed doubles title at the French Open in 2017 with partner Gabriela Dabrowski. He is the fourth Indian to win a major title.
Who are Rohan Bopanna’s parents?
Rohan Bopanna was born on 4th March 1980 to M.G. Bopanna and Mallika Bopanna. By profession, his father is a coffee planter, and he was the one who inspired his son to choose an individual sport. Bopanna, in turn tried various sports and at the age of 19 chose to play tennis. His father also built a tennis court in his hometown Coorg for Bopanna.
Rohan Bopanna with his parents (Image via Zee India)
His mother, Mallika Bopanna, is a homemaker. More details about his mother are not available in the public.
Where do Rohan Bopanna’s parents live?
Bopanna’s father and mother live in their coffee estate in Coorg, Karnataka. Bopanna himself had his primary education from there. Later on, he shifted to Bangalore to complete his higher education at the Jain University in Bangalore.
Rohan Bopanna (image via Hindustan Times)
What did Rohan Bopanna’s parents do for a living?
Bopanna’s father is a coffee planter by profession and owns a coffee estate in their hometown of Coorg, which is the primary source of income for them. His mother is a homemaker.
Rohan Bopanna (image via tennis majors
What is the estimated net worth of Rohan Bopanna’s parents?
The 43-year-old himself earns a handsome sum of $3.2 million per year through various tournaments and sponsorship deals. However, no such info is available for his parents.
Rohan Bopanna (image via India Today)
FAQs
Q. Who is the wife of Rohan Bopanna?
Supriya Annaiah is the wife of Rohan Bopanna
Q. How many Grand Slam titles has Bopanna won?
Bopanna has won one French Open title in the Mixed doubles division.Q. Where was Bopanna born?
Bopanna was born in Bangalore, Karnataka.
Q. What is Bopanna’s daughter’s name?
Rohan Bopanna’s daughter’s name is Tridha Bopanna.
source: http://www.firstsportz.com / First Sportz / Home> Tennis / by Soumik Bhatacharya / edited by Nikhil Sonmali / January 27th, 2024
Rohan Bopanna reveals his wife’s advice amid struggles before winning the Australian Open doubles title.
India’s Rohan Bopanna poses with his family after victory against Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori(AFP)
How much do you know about Rohan Bopanna?
The veteran Indian tennis player is the oldest male Grand Slam winner in the Open era. He achieved the feat by winning the Australian Open men’s doubles title on Saturday. The 43-year-old Indian and his doubles partner Matthew Ebden outclassed the Italian duo of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6(0) 7-5 to rewrite history in the first Grand Slam of the 2024 season.
The newly-crowned world number one in doubles, Bopanna is showing no signs of slowing down. He is playing the best tennis of his life at the age of 43.
Interestingly, Bopanna was busy shattering records in the build-up to the Australian Open. He became the oldest men’s player to seal an ATP Masters 1000 title. He made it to two Grand Slam finals and featured in the ATP Finals. He also claimed a gold medal at the Asian Games before finishing the season as world No. 3 in men’s doubles.
Bopanna almost quit tennis in 2019
Before Bopanna made headlines with the Australian Open, there was a time when he was contemplating retirement. The cartilage in his knees had wore out, and his mobility was not great. Bopanna went five months without winning a match forcing him to almost call time on his career in 2019. With critics convinced that he was past his prime, Bopanna invested heavily in his fitness to spark a sensational turnaround.
Advice Rohan Bopanna got from wife Supriya Annaiah
His physio travelled with him on tour. Thanks to ‘Iyengar Yoga’ during the pandemic break, a rejuvenated Bopanna started playing pain-free tennis – a sport which gave him everything. Speaking to ESPN ahead of the Australian Open final, Bopanna opened up about having no cartilage on his knees. Bopanna also recollected a game-changing advice he received from his wife Supriya Annaiah.
‘When you change limitations to opportunities’
“My wife said it beautifully one day, ‘when you change limitations to opportunities, everything changes.’ We are always told at 25 this has to happen, by 30 this has to happen, at 40 this will happen. It’s a thing which is told to us constantly, whether it is sport or life, whether it is marriage, having kids, whatever it may be. But when you change that into opportunities, then the limitations go away,” Bopanna recalled.
Know more about oldest man to win a Grand Slam title
At 43 years and 329 days, Bopanna has become the oldest to win a men’s doubles major in the Open era. He will officially become the oldest to be ranked No. 1 in men’s doubles on Monday. He is the third Indian to win a Grand Slam doubles title after Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. Reflecting on his incredible journey, Bopanna revealed that he had messaged his wife about bidding farewell to tennis.
“Five years ago, I sent my wife a video message where I said I would call it a day, because I wasn’t winning matches. I went five months without winning a match, I thought that would be the end of my journey. But my perseverance kept me going and really changed so many things. I found a wonderful partner to get me to all the laurels,” Bopanna said.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> News> Sports> Tennis News / by HT Sports Desk / January 28th, 2024
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)
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
Bopanna is set to become the oldest tennis player to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open along with his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia.
Rohan Bopanna / File
Rohan Bopanna feels that his ascent to world No. 1 in doubles rankings at the twilight of his career is perfect boost that Indian tennis needed just when it was falling off the radar.
Bopanna is set to become the oldest tennis player to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open along with his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia here on Wednesday.
The 43-year-old, who had entered the tournament with a career-high ranking of world No. 3, and Ebden recorded a comfortable 6-4 7-6(5) win over sixth seeded Argentinian duo of Máximo González and Andrés Molteni in the quarterfinals that lasted an hour and 46 minutes here.
Bopanna will be crowned the new numero uno spot on Monday after the end of the tournament.
“It (the feat) means a lot not to just me but for Indian tennis also. You need something to inspire the next generation. Sumit (Nagal) also had a great Australian Open. He won a round,” Bopanna told PTI in an exclusive interview from Melbourne.
And the star player said the feat came with a lot of sacrifices.
“Extremely proud of this (world no.1 ranking in men’s doubles). It’s a special moment. Lot of sacrifices have gone into this. My coaches, family everyone. My family is travelling with me, so different feeling,” he said.
In fact, he is more happy that for the past week, Indian tennis has been in the news.
“Nothing at all was happening in Indian tennis. You (journalists) also did not have much to write about, so this has happened at the right time.” Earlier, Rajeev Ram of the USA was the oldest player to be ranked world no. 1 when he had achieve the top ranking in October 2022 at the age of 38 for the first time in his career.
Ebden, on the other hand, is set to reach the world no 2 spot.
Bopanna twice reached the US Open final but never won a men’s doubles major.
He, however, has a mixed doubles trophy at the French Open when he and his partner Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada won the crown at the 2017 French Open, defeating Anna-Lena Grönefeld and Robert Farah in the final 2–6 6–2 12–10.
But Bopanna’s desire to win a men’s doubles title at the Slam still remains unfulfilled, something which we wants to achieve before hanging up his racquet.
“That’s a personal goal (winning men’s doubles title at a Grand Slam). It’s no one else’s goal,” he said.
For the veteran, it is always one step at a time.
“When you reach second round, next you want is third round then fourth, quarters, semi-final. So, yes I have been in two Slam final and now want to win but it’s a natural. You always try to go one better,” Bopanna said about his future goal.
Bopanna, who had achieved the highest of world No. 3 for the first time in 2013, is the fourth Indian after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to take the world number one rank in doubles.
He also didn’t forget to acknowledge the contribution of his long-time coach Scott David of the USA in his breathtaking journey in the game.
“I am probably fifty world number one of coach Scott David. It’s a proud moment for him also. I switched to doubles in 2010 and since then I have been with him only,” Bopanna said.
Bopanna and Ebden have been one of the most consistent pairs on the tour over the last 12 months. The duo reached the final of US Open 2023, their best result so far in Grand Slams.
En route the semifinals here, the second seeded Bopanna and Ebden, had to over come two close contests in the first and third rounds to book their place in the semifinals.
Their first hurdle came in the opening round against wildcards James Duckworth and Marc Polmans of Australia, whom Bopanna and Ebden defeated 6-7(5) 6-4 6-7(2).
Their next steep challenge came in the third round where they overcame 14th seeds Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Croatian Nikola Mektić 7-6(8) 7-6(4).
And Bopanna attributed the ability to finish close matches to his experience on the circuit.
“Experience is a great factor in getting those wins. Ever since, I started focussing only on doubles in 2010, it has taken me 13-14 years to reach this. I have been a journeyman,” said Bopanna, who will take over the top position from USA’s Austin Krajicek, who and his Croatian partner Ivan Dodig lost in the second round.
The Indo-Australian pair will play unseeded Tomas Machac of Czech Republic and Chinese Zhizhen Zhang in the semi-finals.
His former Davis Cup teammates Mahesh Bhupathi and Somdev Devvarman termed it as one of the greatest stories in Indian sport.
“Rohan Bopanna getting to World Number 1 today after 20 years on tour in my opinion is one of the greatest stories in Indian Sport!!!,” Bhupathi wrote on ‘X’.
“Bops first told me he was contemplating retirement 5 years ago, then 4 years ago, then 3 years ago…Moral of the story is…. Who cares… He’s number 1! Couldn’t be happier for the Bopanna family! rohanbopanna is the best story in indian sport,” Devvarman wrote.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> Sports / by PTI, New Delhi / January 24th, 2024
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