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Like a fine wine aging gracefully, Rohan Bopanna defied all odds and proved that age is just a number by scripting history at the Australian Open 2024, becoming the oldest Grand Slam winner.
Bopanna’s journey to tennis glory was far from conventional. Unlike many of his peers who began their journey in early childhood, Rohan Bopanna’s path meandered through various sports before finding its true calling on the tennis court at 19.
He swiftly ascended the ranks despite the late start, illustrating a promise and talent hinting at future success. However, like any journey marked by ambition and pursuit, Rohan encountered his fair share of setbacks and challenges in 2019. Yet, true to his resilient nature, he bounced back stronger, culminating in this historic victory.
Having secured most of his titles and milestones after the age of 35, let's now explore the top five achievements of the seasoned tennis veteran.
#1 Australian Open Mens Doubles 2024
In the Australian Open 2024 Men’s Doubles, Rohan Boppana, paired with Matthew Ebden, made history as the oldest player to achieve this feat. They emerged victorious in the finals against the Italian Duo of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in straight sets, with a thrilling scoreline of 7-6(0), 7-5, at the Rod Laver Arena on January 27th.
This monumental win marked Bopanna's second Grand Slam victory and solidified his place in tennis history as the oldest to clinch such an honor.
#2 Roland Garros Mixed Doubles 2017
Bopanna's inaugural foray into Grand Slam victory came in 2017 at Roland Garros. Paired with the Canadian, Gabriela Dabrowski, the duo had a good run in the tournament defeating the favourites.
Their journey to triumph at Roland Garros started with a setback, as they dropped the first set of the final. However, displaying strong resilience, they staged a remarkable comeback to win the match with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-2, 12-10 against the German-Colombian duo of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Robert Farah.
#3 Oldest to claim the ATP 1000 Masters title
Rohan Bopanna has enjoyed significant success on the ATP Tour, particularly in doubles events, where he has exhibited consistency at the highest level. In March 2023, partnering with Australian Matthew Ebden, Bopanna achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the oldest tennis duo to win an ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells. In the final, they defeated the top-seeded Wesley Koolhof and Neil Skupski with a 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 scoreline.
#4 Oldest to claim the World No.1 Ranking
Rohan Bopanna scripted history, becoming the oldest player to clinch the top spot in men’s doubles rankings. At the ripe age of 43, the Indian athlete, partnering with Matthew Ebden, smoothly sailed into the Australian Open semifinals, affirming their dominance.
In a tense showdown, the duo outplayed the sixth-seeded Argentines with a solid 6-4, 7-6(7-5) victory, marking their third straight Grand Slam semifinal appearance. This milestone catapulted the Indian tennis star to the summit of doubles tennis, proving that age is just a number, and the proof is in the pudding.
#5 US Open 2010 Finals
Rohan Bopanna, at the age of 30, and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan joined forces for a remarkable journey in the 2010 US Open men’s doubles, displaying a unique sense of bond. Against the odds, despite being unseeded, they reached the tournament final without dropping a set, making history as the first Indian-Pakistani duo to achieve such a feat in the Open era.
In the championship showdown, they faced off against the second-seeded pair of Bob and Mike Bryan. Despite their valiant efforts, the Indo-Pakistani pair fell short, succumbing 7-6, 7-6 to the American duo.
