Just like the first set, the second set turned out to be competitive, but the eleventh game became crucial considering Bopden's return game starting to shape up toward the end of the match. It took several point constructions for them to finally impose the damage considering how thin the margin was between both pairs, and here was how everything unfolded.
Pacing become one of the most crucial aspects when realizing how the 4 straight holds went (2-2) to start the second set. Interestingly, even though Bolelli/A. Vavassori held their service games to 3-2, Bolelli notably closed one of the net exchanged with an intuitive volley, taking into account Bopden's court coverage there. Two games later, even though Ebden's backhand return ace forced the deuce, the Italian unseeded pair still held their serves to 4-3.
Bopden started to inject more pace from this game on, which pressed Bolelli/A. Vavassori's service games, to some extent. Somehow, the latter managed to equalize Bopden's 2-point lead through A. Vavassori's backhand return ace and Ebden's +1 error trying to regain their depth, but Ebden's net exchange finish secured one of the most crucial holds to 4-4. Ebden then tried to find an angle off his slice around the post, but Bolelli replied with an intuitive volley to set a one-point lead before holding their serves to 5-4. Bopden followed suit with another all-around point construction to 5-5.
The next two games then determined the rest of the flow thanks to the second seeds' well-paced return game. They successfully pressed Bolelli/A. Vavassori's second serves until a double fault created the former's break point, which was eventually converted thanks to Ebden's well-timed poach post-baseline exchange between Bopanna and both Bolelli/A. Vavassori. Consequently, Bopden earned their chance to serve for the title, where despite surviving a double fault due to nerves on Ebden's half, they managed to pull it off to win their first Grand Slam title as a pair, taking the second set 7-5 as a cherry on top of their journey even though they are still paired for a year.
'Oldest World No. 1' Rohan Bopanna Makes History, Enters Australian Open Semis With Matthew Ebden
India star Rohan Bopanna made Grand Slam history as he progressed to the semi-finals of the Australian Open 2024 men's doubles event. Bopanna and his partner Matthew Ebden reached the semi-finals with a straight-sets win against the Argentine pair of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni on Wednesday. Courtesy of the quarter-final win in the Australian Open, Bopanna will become the No. 1 men's doubles player in the world, at the age of 43. When the rankings are updated, he will become the oldest player in the sport's history to clinch the numero uno spot.
The feat comes less than a year after Bopanna became the oldest man to qualify for a grand slam final in the Open era, when he and his partner Ebden lost the US Open 2023 final. Bopanna had made his debut more than 20 years ago.
Bopanna entered the Australian Open with a career-high ranking of No. 3. Having progressed to the semi-finals of the year's first Grand Slam, the veteran Indian is assured of becoming the new No. 1 when the rankings will be updated next week. His men's doubles partner Mathew Ebden, is assured of the No. 2 spot spot in men's doubles rankings.
It was for the first time in 17 attempts that Bopanna managed to enter the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
The 43-year-old and his partner recorded a comfortable 6-4, 7-6 (5) win over sixth seeded Argentinian duo of Máximo González and Andrés Molteni in the quarterfinals that lasted an hour and 46 minutes.
The second-seeded Indo-Australian pair will cross swords with unseeded Tomas Machac and Zhizhen Zhang in the semi-finals.
Earlier, Rajeev Ram of the USA was the oldest player to be ranked world no. 1 when he had achieve the top ranking in October 2022 at the age of 38 for the first time in his career.
Bopanna, who had achieved the highest rank was world No. 3 for the first time in 2013, is the fourth Indian after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to take the world number one rank in doubles.
He will take over the top position from USA's Austin Krajicek, who and his Croatian partner Ivan Dodig lost in the second round.
Bopanna won the mixed doubles title at French Open in 2017 alongside Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski. However, a title has eluded him in men's doubles, having finished runner-up twice at the US Open in 2010 with Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Quresh and 2023 with Ebden.
In fact, Bopanna's feat at the US Open last year made him the oldest-ever Grand Slam finalist.
Bopanna is also the oldest player to claim a men's doubles title at a Masters 1000 event. He achieved the feat last year at the age of 43 with Ebden, winning the prestigious Indian Wells tournament.
Madrid Open: रोहन बोपन्ना-मैथ्यू एबडेन की जोड़ी पुरुष युगल के फाइनल में हारी
Madrid: भारतीय टेनिस खिलाड़ी रोहन बोपन्ना और मैथ्यू एबडेन की जोड़ी को शनिवार को मैड्रिड ओपन 2023 के पुरुष युगल वर्ग के खिताबी मुकाबले में हार का सामना करना पड़ा।
सातवीं वरीय बोपन्ना-एबडेन की जोड़ी को गैर वरीय रूसी जोड़ी करेन खाचानोव और एंड्री रुबलेव ने 6-3, 3-6, 10-3 से शिकस्त दी। बोपन्ना-एबडेन का यह दूसरा एटीपी मास्टर्स 1000 फाइनल था।
रोहन और मैथ्यू अच्छी फॉर्म में थे क्योंकि वे दोहा (कतर…
DOUBLE TROUBLE | The Duchess of Cambridge, wearing a very cute hat, watched Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell beat Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic in a mammoth five-set match
#Miami Open: Rohan Bopanna, Matthew Edben Clinch Historic Title, Beat Croatia's Ivan Dodic, America's Austin Krajicek In Marathon Men's Doubles Final | Other Sports News #TATAIPL #IPL24
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The men’s doubles duo of India’s Rohan Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Edben clinched a historic victory in the final of the Miami Open tennis tournament on Saturday. The duo of Bopanna and Edben sealed a solid win over Croatia’s Ivan Dodic and America’s Austin Krajicek in a marathon final by 6-7, 6-3, and 10-6 to get hold of the trophy. Bopanna and Ebden had a sloppy start to the game…
Bopanna & Ebden Entered Semifinal at Miami Masters
Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden continued their merry run at the ATP Miami Masters and reached the men’s doubles semi-finals.
World No. 2 and top seeded Rohan and Matthew had an uphill task this time in the quarterfinals against Dutchman Sem Verbeek and Australian John-Patrick Smith, as they lost the first game before coming back and winning the match 3-
6, 7-6 (4), 10-7.
In their opening match…
Ebden with a beautiful volley here. Mektic/Pavic might have held their serve 1-1 by the end of this game, but this shot is deserved to be commended.
This is a really thrilling match, I would say. Now it all boiled down to who builds that moment on the critical points, or at least making lesser errors and can capitalize from such pressuring moments. Shot choices matter here, especially at the return. And, net game, yes.