Australian Open 2024: At ‘Level 43’, Rohan Bopanna climbs to top spot, wins maiden Grand Slam title
Australian Open 2024: Since the start of 2023, Bopanna-Ebden have been one of the most consistent pairs, reaching nine finals and winning three, qualifying for the year-end ATP Finals and now winning a first Grand Slam. All this while Bopanna tallied multiple oldest-man-to milestones
Rohan Bopanna, whose cartilages in knees have worn out, considered retirement in 2019. The now 43-year-old had gone five months without winning a match and things looked bleak. Five years ago he sent his wife, Supriya, a video message and told her he was ready to call it a day. Somdev Devvarman, former India player, revealed how Bopanna kept pushing that decision by the year. “Bops first told me he was contemplating retirement 5 years ago, then 4 years ago, then 3 years ago,” he wrote on X, earlier Twitter.
Then he found a perspective he hadn’t considered before. “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 told ESPN.
When COVID-19 struck, Bopanna took to ‘Iyengar Yoga’ and hired physio Rebecca Van Orshaegen on the tour to keep him in shape for the rigours of continuous tennis throughout the year.
The dividends started to pay off last year. Bopanna and partner Matt Ebden won the Indian Wells title, reached the finals of US Open, Madrid, Shanghai and Paris while reaching the last-four at Wimbledon and ATP Finals.
But those were mere steps to what was in store ahead. This week, Bopanna reached the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time. He then assured himself of career high World No. 2 and then the top ranking. Then came the announcement he was selected as one of the seven sportspersons to be conferred with the Padma Shri Award – the fourth-highest civilian award. On Saturday, he capped off a stupendous week by winning the Australian Open – his first men’s doubles major title, in 61 attempts. Again, a reminder, Bopanna is 43 years old.
“What really helped is to enjoy every single day, no matter the situation. When I was watching Sumit (Nagal) play against (Alexander) Bublik, it was an incredibly proud moment for Indian tennis. Even when my matches started, winning matches, enjoying it, enjoying the day and then making sure it doesn’t go overnight. The biggest thing is that no matter what happened, whoever called, messaged, I did it in the time when I could. I made sure I did proper recovery, proper sleep, I got all that and knew what the goal ahead was,” said Bopanna on dealing with emotions of an incredible week, during a press conference with select media.
“First and foremost was getting past the third round, which I’d never never really been and then everything started getting better because I was at ease and playing good tennis. I knew (that) the way Matt and I were playing in Adelaide, we had a genuine shot at the title. That came through yesterday and I don’t think that would have happened unless I had a partner like Matt who was calm. He understood being there at the big stage and to bring the best tennis when really needed.”
Bopanna’s years of wait, sacrifices and grind worked out on a warm Melbourne evening on 27 January. In a stiffly contested final against Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, Bopanna punched an overhead shot and collapsed on the court. The result was a testimony to their their teamwork and unyielding determination.
“Our biggest strength is being calm together as a team, no matter what the situation. If you look at this tournament, we were 0-5 down in the first set. I don’t think there was once in doubt that this match is slipping away from us. At Wimbledon we were match match points down. We really understand what our strengths are and we’ve trusted each other as partners,” he said on the partnership with the Aussie who would climb to World No 2 ranking.
The overarching, awe-inspiring theme of Bopanna’s success in the last 13 months has been the fact that it has come at the age of 43. It is a story of perseverance, belief and discipline. There’s been an 11-year gap between Bopanna’s career-best rankings of World No. 3 and 1. Much like the 13 years between his first and second appearances in the final of a men’s doubles Grand Slam final.
“As Matt said, you definitely know how old I am. I’ve changed it a bit and said I’m a level 43, not age 43. Obviously this couldn’t have been possible without a fantastic Aussie partner by my side. Thanks to Matt…we had a fantastic season last year,” said Bopanna after becoming the oldest man to win a Grand Slam doubles title.
This is the latest in a slew of ‘oldest’ records. At Indian Wells last year he became the oldest Masters 1000 champion. At US Open he became the oldest player in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final. In Turin he became the oldest to win a match at the ATP Finals. And now, he has become the oldest World No. 1.
As the accolades poured in, PM Modi said what everyone felt. “Time and again, the phenomenally talented @rohanbopanna shows age is no bar! His remarkable journey is a beautiful reminder that it is always our spirit, hard work and perseverance that define our capabilities.”
The story of Indian tennis in the last five years has been that of celebrating the longevity of players. Leander Paes retired in 2020 at the age of 47. Sania Mirza called time last year at 37 years old. And here is 43-year-old Bopanna, winning a major and sealing the top ranking. His perseverance alone is worth inspiring, trophy or not.
The Australian Open had not been Bopanna’s Happy Slam — in his 16 previous visits, he never made it past the third round in men’s doubles — but the Indian-Aussie pair found joy this time around. The second seeds were the better team in the final, where both pairs thwarted break points in the opening set to unlock a tiebreaker. Bopanna was locked in there, kicking it off with a trademark booming serve and following it up with crisp forehand winners as the Italians could not even get on board.
The crucial break in the second set came in the 11th game, in which a Bopanna backhand return whizzed past Bolelli at the net and Vavassori double-faulted. With Ebden serving out the match, Bopanna’s appetite for lifting a men’s doubles Slam was finally fulfilled. At the ripe age of 43.
“I’ve changed it a little bit,” Bopanna smiled. “I say I’m at level 43, not age 43.”
With Thanks Reference to: https://www.firstpost.com/sports/tennis-news/australian-open-2024-rohan-bopanna-matt-ebden-title-champions-13662432.html and https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/tennis/australian-open-2024-rohan-bopanna-43-climbs-a-slam-doubles-peak-as-well-101706372680916.html
