With his emphatic win at the Australian Open today against Italians Simone Boleili and Andrea Vavassori, 43-year-old Rohan Bopanna has officially become the oldest-ever Grand Slam winner.
The Indo-Australian pair of Bopanna and Matthew Ebden went to war against the Italians and came out victorious in two sets of 7-6, 7-5, after a heated encounter that lasted 1 hour and 39 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.
It was the pair’s maiden title as a team and Bopanna’s first in men’s doubles after 60 previous Grand Slams — a record for most attempts before winning.
Doubles delight @rohanbopanna and @mattebden defeat Italian duo Bolelli/Vavassori 7-6(0) 7-5. @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/WaR2KXF9kp— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2024
Bopanna, 43, now surpasses Dutchman Jean-Julien Rojer who won the French Open men’s doubles title along with partner Marcelo Arevola, at the age of 40.
Bopanna is also slated to become the oldest number one in men’s doubles history when the new rankings are released next week.
This win at Australia marks Bopanna’s second Grand Slam in his extensive career, with his only previous Grand Slam win coming at the 2017 French Open in mixed doubles, with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski.
This win also marked Ebden’s second men’s doubles title after winning Wimbledon in 2022 with fellow Australian Max Purcell.
Look what it means to @rohanbopanna and @mattebdenAt 43, Bopanna has his FIRST Men’s Doubles Grand Slam title – and becomes the oldest to do so in the Open Era #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/qs0JlrkMO7
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2024
At the final today, the Bopanna-Ebden pair drew first blood as they won the first game of the first set in straight serves. It was only then that the Italian pair of Bolelli-Vavassori flipped a switch and began to compete.
What ensued next was a heavily-contested set which went down to the wire at 6-6, when Bopanna and Ebden went on an offensive blitz against the Italians, scoring all 7 straight points to clinch the first set 7-6 after 51 minutes of nonstop action.
A familiar story ensued in the second set, as both pairs once again went blow-for-blow each game, keeping the contest tight as the set was tied at 5-5.
This time around as well the result was the same as the first set, as Bopanna and Ebden blazed through the Italians in the next two games straight to win the set 7-5 and clinch the title.
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