India’s Rohan Bopanna turned the oldest man to win a Grand Slam after clinching the Australian Open 2024 males’s doubles title, pairing with Matthew Ebden. Bopanna, who is about to show 44 in March this yr, additionally celebrated turning into the oldest primary in males’s doubles historical past by successful the title in Melbourne on Saturday. The second seeds claimed a 7-6 (7/0), 7-5 victory over unseeded Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori on Rod Laver Arena. It was their maiden title as a staff and Bopanna’s first in males’s doubles after 60 earlier Grand Slams — a document for many makes an attempt earlier than successful.

Doubles delight @rohanbopannaand @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 additionally turned solely the third Indian to win a males’s doubles Grand Slam title. In a high-quality recreation of tennis, Bopanna and Ebden gained the ultimate that lasted one hour and 39 minutes.

Only the long-lasting Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have gained Major titles for India in males’s tennis whereas trailblazer Sania Mirza did it in ladies’s tennis.

For Bopanna it’s his second Grand Slam title, having gained the French Open combined doubles with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski in 2017.

At 43, Bopanna additionally turned the oldest Grand Slam champion in males’s tennis. He bettered the document of Jean-Julien Rojer who, at age of 40, had lifted the French Open males’s doubles trophy in 2022 with Marcelo Arevola.

It was such hard-fought battle on the Rod Laver enviornment that the competition featured just one break of serve when Vavassori dropped his serve at love in recreation 11 of the second set. There weren’t many break factors on provide both.

That Grand Slam feeling #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Azz5KoUdML

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2024

The second seeds had breakpoints in successive video games at first of the competition. However, the Italians saved each to remain on even phrases.

In recreation two, off Bolelli’s serve, Vavassori hit a volley at 30-30 however Bopanna hit a return lengthy.

In recreation 4, the Italians had been once more down a break level when at 30-30, a return from Bopanna jumped off the online chord to present the second seeds a free level. However, Vavassori served properly to avoid wasting that time as properly.

Serving 4-5, and 30-all, Bolelli was below strain once more however pulled off a robust cross courtroom forehand which was away from Bopanna’s attain after which served enormous to make it 5-all.

Ebden’s serve got here below strain in recreation 11 through which he confronted a breakpoint, however, after enjoying deuce factors, the Australian closed the sport with an ace.

In the tie-breaker, Bolelli’s serve was damaged twice because the second seeds zoomed to a 5-0 lead with out shedding a degree on their serve.

Vavassori too misplaced his serve handy their rivals six set factors. They transformed the primary, Ebden discovering a forehand winner down the road.

Bopanna might be topped the brand new primary on Monday when the ATP rankings might be up to date. At 43, he would be the oldest participant to be perched on prime of the rating pile.

Bolelli had gained the Australian Open males’s doubles in 2015 with associate Fabio Fognini.

(With AFP and PTI Inputs)