Premium'Absolute champion, Rohan Bopanna' - Sachin Tendulkar, Abhishek Bachchan and fans express joy as tennis star wins Grand Slam title at age 43
The Indo-Aussie pair secured a 7-6(0) 7-5 victory at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, earning them the title of champions at the Australian Open 2024.
Last Updated: 06.51 PM, Jan 27, 2024
Age proved to be just a number as India's Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden clinched the men's doubles title at the Australian Open 2024 against Italy's Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori. The Indo-Aussie pair secured a 7-6(0) 7-5 victory at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, earning them the title of champions.
At 43 years old, Bopanna has now etched his name in the record books as he became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title. Their victory also guaranteed them the prestigious World No. 1 ranking, set to be officially confirmed on Monday.
Following Bopanna's winning shot, the crowd erupted in joy, and fans flooded social media platforms, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter), with praises for the Indian stalwart.
Former cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatesh Prasad, Mahindra Group's chairman Anand Mahindra and actor Abhishek Bachchan also joined in praising the tennis icon.
As for the final clash, in a closely fought battle, the Indo-Australian duo demonstrated their tenacity, particularly in the first set, which extended into a tie-breaker. Bopanna's proficiency in tie-break situations was evident as he and Ebden secured a flawless 7-0 victory. Building on their momentum, they maintained their composure in the second set, ultimately clinching it 7-6 to secure the title.
The Indian tennis star has also been honoured among the eight sportspersons selected for the prestigious Padma Shri award for 2024 by the Indian government, announced on Thursday. The Padma Shri is the nation's fourth-highest civilian award, following the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, and Padma Bhushan, bestowed upon individuals for their exceptional contributions in any field.
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Rohan Bopanna's impressive journey in tennis saw him be ranked 19th at the beginning of the 2023 season. However, as the season progressed, Bopanna ascended into the top 10 rankings. Furthermore, he achieved gold medal success at the Asian Games alongside his mixed doubles partner Rutuja Bhosale. With these remarkable accomplishments, Bopanna has also become the world No. 1 in doubles.