Rohan Bopanna Makes Tennis History as Oldest First-Time World No. 1 in Men’s Doubles

Rohan Bopanna, the Indian tennis veteran, has achieved a significant milestone in his illustrious career, becoming the oldest first-time World No. 1 in ATP men’s doubles ranking. This feat was secured with a remarkable quarterfinal win at the Australian Open 2024 alongside his Australian partner, Matt Ebden. Bopanna, at the age of 43, surpassed the previous record set by Rajeev Ram, who achieved the top ranking at the age of 38.

During their quarterfinal match, Bopanna and Ebden faced tough competition from the Argentine duo, Máximo González and Andrés Molteni. Despite a brief delay caused by bubbles on the court due to overnight rain, the Indo-Aussie pair displayed their prowess and emerged triumphant with a 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory.

This momentous win has guaranteed Bopanna the esteemed title of World No. 1 in men’s doubles when the fresh rankings are announced on Monday, just one day after the Australian Open final. This achievement comes as a fitting reward for the Indian star, who has been consistently performing at a high level in the sport.

Bopanna’s journey to the top has been a long and eventful one. He made his debut at the Australian Open in 2008 and has participated in the tournament for 17 consecutive years. Despite several third-round finishes, he had never advanced to the semifinals until now. The Australian Open semifinal appearance marks a significant milestone in Bopanna’s career and completes his set of reaching at least the semifinals in all the Grand Slam tournaments.

Partnering with Ebden, Bopanna now has a shot at claiming his first Grand Slam title in men’s doubles. The duo will face Zhang Zhizhen from China and Tomáš Macháč from the Czech Republic in the semifinals. With their impressive performance so far, the Indian-Australian pair remains a strong contender for the championship.

It is worth mentioning that Bopanna is already a Grand Slam champion in mixed doubles, having won the French Open in 2017 alongside Gabriela Dabrowski. His partner, Ebden, also holds a Grand Slam title in men’s doubles, as he secured victory at Wimbledon 2022 with Max Purcell.