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The Australian Open, the season opener of the four Grand Slam tournaments that take place every year, holds a special place in the hearts of tennis enthusiasts worldwide.
With Sumit Nagal's recent qualification for the 2024 edition, Indian fans have a lot to look forward to this time around. Nagal battled his way through the qualifying rounds and secured a place in the main draw without dropping a single set. He is the first Indian men’s singles player in three years to feature in the tournament (the last one was Nagal himself back in 2021).
With Nagal’s qualification adding a little piece to India’s tennis history at the Australian Open, let us look back and embark on a nostalgic journey to relive three of the most unforgettable performances by Indian players at the prestigious tournament.
3 most unforgettable performances by Indians at the Australian Open
#3. Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza winning the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open in 2009
Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza, two of India’s most celebrated doubles players, left a mark at the 2009 Australian Open when they dominated the final and dispatched Andy Ram and Nathalie Dechy in straight sets.
This triumph was Mahesh Bhupathi’s second Australian Open mixed doubles title, his first coming three years earlier in 2006 when he partnered with the legendary Martina Hingis to win the title.
While this victory gave Bhupathi his second title in the land Down Under, it marked a significant milestone in Sania Mirza’s career. The win was not only her first title at the Australian Open but also her first Grand Slam ever. She also went on to win the women’s doubles title at the Australian Open in 2016 with Martina Hingis.
#2. Ramesh Krishnan causing an upset against world no. 1 Mats Wilander in 1989
The 1989 Australian Open witnessed India’s tennis star, Ramesh Krishnan, face off against the then-World No. 1 Mats Wilander in the second round of the tournament.
Krishnan had faced Wilander, a seven-time Major champion, seven times before this but was on the losing end of six of those encounters. Unseeded and considered as the underdog, Krishnan achieved the unthinkable by defeating Wilander 6-3, 6-2, 7-6.
The stunning upset at the 1989 Australian Open not only shocked the tennis world but also marked the first and only instance of an Indian player defeating a World No. 1 at a Grand Slam event.
While he went on to lose in the subsequent round, Krishnan’s victory against Wilander marked a defining moment in India’s tennis history. It will forever remain a talking point in Indian tennis.
#1. Leander Paes defeating the Bryan brothers in the final of the 2012 Australian Open
A man who needs no introduction and is a living legend in Indian tennis history, Leander Paes has dominated headlines over the years. He has given Indian tennis fans countless unforgettable moments. However, the 2012 Australian Open men’s doubles final was arguably one of his finest performances at Melbourne Park.
In the 2012 Australian Open men’s doubles final, Paes, alongside his doubles partner Radek Stepanek, faced the mighty Bryan brothers. The Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, with 16 Grand Slam titles to their name, were seeking their fourth Australian Open title in four years. In a thrilling encounter, Paes and Stepanek dispatched their opponents in straight sets to lift the prestigious Grand Slam title.
This triumph marked Paes' first men's doubles title at the Australian Open. He also won three mixed doubles crowns at the Australian Open in 2003, 2010, and 2015.
