In an exciting turn of events at the Australian Open, Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna is set to become the oldest ATP tennis world No. 1 at the age of 43. Bopanna achieved this incredible feat after he and his partner, Matthew Ebden, secured a spot in the semifinals of the men's doubles tournament. The pair's victory over Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in the quarterfinals paved the way for Bopanna to claim the top spot in the doubles rankings.
Bopanna, who has been a professional tennis player since 2003, expressed his elation at reaching the world No. 1 ranking. He described it as a dream come true and a testament to his perseverance throughout his more than 20-year career. 'For every player out there, it is a dream. It was my dream, and, you know, more so when you're playing the sport for a couple of decades,' Bopanna said in a post-match interview.
This achievement by Bopanna sets a new record, surpassing the previous oldest player to attain the No. 1 ranking, American doubles specialist Rajeev Ram, who accomplished the feat at the age of 38 in March 2022. Bopanna's remarkable accomplishment solidifies his status as a tennis veteran who continues to perform at a high level.
Indian tennis as a whole has been making waves at this year's Australian Open. Bopanna and Ebden's success follows the historic victory of Indian singles player Sumit Nagal, who became the first Indian player to defeat a seeded opponent at a Grand Slam since 1989. Bopanna believes that his achievement will inspire more Indians to take up tennis. He stated, 'I think it's just going to inspire a lot of people. I don't think just in tennis. People all over the world, you know, being 40 and above, I think it's just going to inspire them in a different way.'
While Bopanna will rise to the No. 1 ranking, his partner Ebden will reach No. 2 due to differences in the number of tournaments they have played in the past year. Nevertheless, both players were thrilled to have achieved their goal of reaching the pinnacle of men's doubles tennis. Ebden expressed his admiration for Bopanna, particularly praising his accomplishment at such an advanced age.
Bopanna's success at the Australian Open adds to his impressive resume in Grand Slam competitions. He has previously reached the final of the men's doubles at the US Open twice and emerged victorious in the mixed doubles event at the 2017 French Open with his partner Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada. Alongside Ebden, Bopanna has also reached the semifinals stage at the last three Grand Slam tournaments, including last year's US Open and Wimbledon.
Bopanna and Ebden are now set to face Thomas Machac and Zhizhen Zhang in the semifinals of the Australian Open. As they continue their campaign for the championship, the duo's success thus far serves as a source of inspiration for tennis enthusiasts worldwide and an affirmation that age is no barrier to achieving greatness in the sport.
