Rohan Bopanna made history by becoming the oldest player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam final. He surpassed the previous record held by Canada’s Daniel Nestor, achieving this feat at the age of 43 years and 2 months.
It’s worth noting that Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi remain the sole male tennis players from India who have secured Grand Slam titles.
Despite creating history, Rohan Bopanna lose doubles final
Meanwhile if we talk about the US Open Doubles final then Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden suffered defeat in the men’s doubles final at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York on Friday, as they were bested by the British-American duo of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury.
The Indo-Australian pair, seeded sixth and previously reaching the Wimbledon Championships semifinals this year, succumbed to a 6-2, 3-6, 4-6 loss. In an impressive feat, the third-seeded team of Ram and Salisbury became the first pair in the Open era to secure the New York trophy for three consecutive years.
The last duo to accomplish this feat was the all-American team of Tom Bundy and Maurice McLoughlin from 1912 to 1914.
Ram, aged 39, and Salisbury, aged 31, also clinched the 2020 Australian Open title, with Ram making history in the Open era by winning his first Grand Slam doubles championship in his 58th appearance.
Bopanna and Ebden began the match with a strong start, breaking their opponents in the very first game. Bopanna’s powerful forehand played a key role, earning them three breakpoints as he struck a winner on a weak return.
Ram’s error on an easy backhand volley during the first opportunity further helped Bopanna and Ebden. They maintained their lead with a comfortable hold, and although they had a chance to go up 3-0, they couldn’t convert the breakpoint during the Briton’s service game at 30-40.
The defending champions faced some tense moments but ultimately secured a game point after three deuce points in the third game. Ebden’s volley winner on Salisbury’s return granted them another breakpoint, which they capitalized on when the Briton struggled with a half-volley.
This gave Bopanna and Ebden firm control of the contest, leading 5-2 in the first set. Ebden served out the set successfully, confidently landing his serves and securing the set with Ram’s long forehand return.
The second set saw intense action, particularly in the fourth game, where Salisbury fought off three breakpoints to hold his serve. With both teams elevating their level of play, the competition became increasingly intense. Bopanna faced a breakpoint in the fifth game after serving a double fault at 30-all.
Age is just a number and Rohan Bopanna proves it at 43 years and 6 months😎
Hats off to #TOPScheme athlete @rohanbopanna for making history as the 'oldest' tennis men's player to reach a #GrandSlam Doubles Final in the Open Era!
The legendary Bopanna 🎾 continues to script… pic.twitter.com/wPqeMyDO5E
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) September 8, 2023
Although he attempted an aggressive cross-court forehand winner, it narrowly missed the line, handing a crucial break to their opponents, who then consolidated it with an easy hold to go up 4-2 in the final set.
Down 2-4 in the final set, Bopanna displayed remarkable sportsmanship and character when he voluntarily conceded a point. This happened after a ball deflected off his right arm while his partner was making a forehand return.
Although the chair umpire didn’t notice the deflection and considered it a winner, Bopanna informed the umpire that he was conceding the point. Ebden subsequently held his serve, and Bopanna did the same in the following game but it wasn’t enough for the win.
Bopanna’s recent appearance in the Grand Slam men’s doubles final marked his second such achievement. The 43-year-old Indian had previously reached the pinnacle match in 2010, partnering with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi.
Overall, this Grand Slam final represented Bopanna’s third appearance, with his first and only Major victory occurring in 2017 when he clinched the French Open mixed doubles title alongside his Canadian partner, Gabriela Dabrowski.
