India’s Rohan Bopanna made history at the Australian Open 2024 by becoming the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title in men’s doubles, partnering with Matthew Ebden. Bopanna, who is turning 44 in March, also achieved the milestone of becoming the oldest number one in men’s doubles history by securing the title in Melbourne on Saturday.
The second-seeded duo secured a hard-fought 7-6 (7/0), 7-5 victory over unseeded Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori on Rod Laver Arena. This triumph marked their inaugural title as a team and marked Bopanna’s first victory in men’s doubles after 60 previous Grand Slam attempts—a record for the most attempts before winning.
Bopanna now joins the ranks of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi as the only Indians to win a men’s doubles Grand Slam title.
Despite a high-quality display of tennis, the contest saw only one break of serve when Vavassori lost his serve at Love in game 11 of the second set. Breakpoints were scarce throughout the match, with the second seeds having opportunities in successive games early on but failing to convert.
The tie-breaker saw Bolelli’s serve broken twice as the second seeds surged to a 5-0 lead without conceding a point on their serve. Ultimately, Bopanna and Ebden clinched victory, with Ebden delivering a forehand winner down the line on the first set point.
With this win, Bopanna secures his second Grand Slam title, having previously won the French Open mixed doubles with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski in 2017. He also sets a new record as the oldest Grand Slam champion in men’s tennis, surpassing Jean-Julien Rojer’s achievement at the age of 40.
Bopanna’s ascent to the top of the ATP rankings on Monday will further cement his status as a tennis legend, marking him as the oldest player to hold the number-one position.
