Bopanna, At 43, Becomes Oldest Grand Slam Champion In Men’s Tennis
Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden on Saturday clinched the Australian Open men's doubles title, etching their names in tennis history. The Indian-Australian duo secured a straight-set victory over the Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, winning the match with a score of 7-6(7-0), 7-5. The intense showdown lasted over 1 hour and 39 minutes.
Before this win, Bopanna had reached the men's doubles final twice at the US Open, in 2013 and 2023, without securing the title. However, the Australian Open proved to be the stage for their breakthrough. The duo's journey to the final included a hard-fought battle against Zhang Zhizhen and Tomas Machac.
At 43 years old, Bopanna became the oldest Grand Slam champion in men's tennis, surpassing the previous record held by Jean-Julien Rojer. The final match at the Rod Laver Arena featured a solitary break of serve when Vavassori lost his serve at love in the 11th game of the second set, adding to the intensity of the contest.
Throughout the match, Bopanna and Ebden faced critical moments, with breakpoints in the early stages. The tie-breaker witnessed a remarkable performance from the second seeds, breaking Bolelli's serve twice and securing a 5-0 lead without dropping a point on their serve. Vavassori also faltered, losing his serve and granting their opponents six set points, which Bopanna and Ebden converted with finesse.
This victory not only marked Bopanna's first men's doubles title at a Grand Slam but also established him as the oldest men's doubles champion in Grand Slam history.
