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How much do you know about Rohan Bopanna?
The veteran Indian tennis player is the oldest male Grand Slam winner in the Open era. He achieved the feat by winning the Australian Open men’s doubles title on Saturday. The 43-year-old Indian and his doubles partner Matthew Ebden beat the Italian duo of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6 (0) and 7-5 to rewrite history in the first Grand Slam of the 2024 season.
Newly crowned world number one in doubles, Bopanna shows no signs of slowing down. He is playing the best tennis of his life at 43 years old.
Interestingly, Bopanna was busy breaking records in the build-up to the Australian Open. He became the oldest male player to seal an ATP Masters 1000 title. He reached two Grand Slam finals and participated in the ATP Finals. He also claimed a gold medal at the Asian Games before finishing the season as world No. 3 in men’s doubles.
ALSO READ: Rohan Bopanna’s Australian Open feat leaves Sania Mirza and Somdev ‘speechless’
Bopanna almost left tennis in 2019
Before Bopanna made headlines with the Australian Open, there was a time when he contemplated retirement. The cartilage in his knees had worn away and his mobility was not very good. Bopanna went five months without winning a match, forcing him to nearly end his career in 2019. With critics convinced he was past his prime, Bopanna invested heavily in his fitness to spark a sensational change.
Advice Rohan Bopanna received from his wife Supriya Annaiah
His physical therapist traveled with him on tour. Thanks to ‘Iyengar Yoga’ during the pandemic break, a rejuvenated Bopanna began playing tennis without pain, a sport that gave him everything. speaking to ESPN Before the Australian Open final, Bopanna spoke about not having cartilage in his knees. Bopanna also recalled a revolutionary piece of advice he received from his wife Supriya Annaiah.
‘When you change limitations for opportunities’
“My wife said it beautifully one day: ‘When you change limitations for opportunities, everything changes.’ We are always told that at 25 this has to happen, at 30 this has to happen, at 40 this will happen. It’s something that We’re constantly told, whether it’s in sports or in life, whether it’s in marriage, having kids, whatever. “It can be. But when that becomes opportunities, the limitations disappear,” Bopanna recalled.
Learn more about the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title
At 43 years and 329 days, Bopanna has become the oldest player to win a men’s doubles major in the Open era. He will officially become the oldest player to be ranked No. 1 in men’s doubles on Monday. He is the third Indian to win a Grand Slam doubles title after Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. Reflecting on his incredible journey, Bopanna revealed that he had messaged his wife to say goodbye to tennis.
“Five years ago, I sent my wife a video message telling her I was calling it a day because I wasn’t winning games. I went five months without winning a game, I thought that would be the end of my journey. But “My perseverance kept me going and really changed a lot of things. I found a wonderful partner who led me to all the laurels,” Bopanna said.