Australian Open 2024: Rohan Bopanna One Win Away From Becoming World No 1 At 43 Years Old

Indo-Australian pair Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden will take on Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in the men's doubles quarter-final of the Australian Open 2024

Outlook Sports Desk

Updated on: 23 January 2024 10:59 am

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden in men's doubles third-round action at the Australian Open 2024. Photo: Courtesy: ATP

Indian doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna has been competing at the highest level for more than two decades. And for the first time in his illustrious career, the 43-year-old will rise to the No. 2 spot in men's doubles ranking at the end of the Australian Open 2024. That's a guarantee! (More Tennis News)

Bopanna, alongside Matthew Ebden, entered the tournament as the second seed in the men's doubles; and so far, the Indo-Australian pair has managed to survive three rounds, including a three-set thriller against the Aussies James Duckworth and Marc Polmans in the opener -- which also marked the veteran Indian's 500th career win since turning pro in 2003.

A win on Wednesday at Melbourne Park, in the quarter-finals against the sixth-seeded Argentinian pair Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni will secure Bopanna the World No. 1 crown in ATP rankings. The defeat of the top seeds Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Austin Krajicek of the United States of America in the second round effectively opened the doors for Bopanna to become world number one.

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The last Indian to reach the numero uno spot in world tennis was Sania Mirza, the Hyderabadi girl who once set the courts around the world on fire with her groundstrokes.

Also a doubles specialist, Mirza was World No. 1 in women's doubles in April 2015. Leander Paes and Mahesh Bupathi had also held the honour in men's doubles. And all three had won multiple Grand Slam titles, of course.

Boppana entered the Australian Open 2024 as the third-ranked player in the men's doubles, behind Krajicek and Dodig, while his partner Ebden, the fourth.

At 43, the 2017 French Open champion in mixed doubles (with Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada) is still searching for a men's doubles Slam.

Last September, the veteran from Bengaluru became the oldest man to qualify for a Grand Slam final in the Open era. He and Ebden lost the US Open final to two-time champions Rajeev Ram of the USA and Joe Salisbury of Britain in three sets.