Australian Open 2024: Rohan Bopanna Makes History, Becomes Oldest Grand Slam Doubles Champion at 43

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden made history on Saturday by clinching the Australian Open doubles title. The duo secured victory by defeating the team of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in straight sets with a scoreline of 7-6(0), 7-5. This triumph marks Bopanna's first men's doubles title at a Grand Slam, a significant achievement in his career.

Before this win, Bopanna had reached the final twice at the US Open, in 2013 and 2023, without securing the title. However, he already had a Grand Slam title to his name, thanks to a mixed doubles win at the French Open in 2017.

Doubles delight 🏆🏆@rohanbopanna 🇮🇳 and @mattebden 🇦🇺 defeat Italian duo Bolelli/Vavassori 🇮🇹 7-6(0) 7-5. @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennispic.twitter.com/WaR2KXF9kp

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2024

The Indian tennis star now becomes the third Indian to claim a men's doubles Grand Slam title. In the lead-up to the final, Bopanna and Ebden defeated Zhang Zhizhen of China and Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic in a hard-fought contest that ended with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-7) victory, lasting just over two hours.

By reaching the final, Bopanna and Ebden not only secured the Australian Open title but also ensured Bopanna's ascent to the world No. 1 spot in men's doubles. At 43 years old, Bopanna becomes the oldest man to achieve this milestone for the first time. He joins the esteemed company of Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and former women's doubles world No. 1 Sania Mirza as the fourth Indian to top the world rankings in tennis.

Reflecting on their journey to the title, Bopanna emphasized the importance of their partnership with Ebden, highlighting their ability to perform well in Super Tie Breaks. The duo had previously faced defeat in the US Open final last September against Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury.