Australian Open 2024

[prashanthm]

Great chance for Bops to get to #1..... and probably get that title... but few more tough matches to come...

@gbelday - Saw the news that Rohan was going to play at AO Jrs, but had to withdraw on the day of his match due to illness. I hope all is well! Gud luck for the rest of the year!

[arjun2761]

Bops and Ebden move thru to QF with a straight sets win in 2 tie breaks.

[R3] (2) Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) d. (14) Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Nikola Mektic (CRO) 76(8) 76(4)

With that Rohan moves to career high world #2 in live rankings. If they win the QF, Rohan will move to world #1.

[QF] (2) Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) vs. (6) Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) / Andres Molteni (ARG)

Good luck to Rohan! Making it to world #1 for the first time at his age would be an amazing achievement!

[sameerph]

And he does it.

[QF] (2) Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) d. (6) Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) / Andres Molteni (ARG) 64 76(5)


And with that Rohan becomes the world #1 for the first time in his career.


Next,

[SF] (2) Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) vs. Zhe Zhang (CHN) / Thomas Machach (CZE)

[rajitghosh]

Yeh Dil maange more. Hope he wins this time and finally has a men's doubles GS to his name.

[rajitghosh]

Yeh Dil maange more. Hope he wins this time and finally has a men's doubles GS to his name.

[srini]

the BBCs of the world have now done a special article on this youngest doubles player who became world #1
https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/68078338

[sameerph]

And they are into the final.

[SF] (2) Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) d. Zhe Zhang (CHN) / Thomas Machach (CZE) 63 36 76(7)

Rohan served for the match and got broken at 5-3 in the third set but thankfully they kept their composure and won it in match tie break.

[Prem]

Yes, serving 5-3 Rohan got broken and it didn’t look great at that time.
They played great in the next game to get 3 break and Match points on 0-40. Missed those opportunities too!! Looked bleak as they had missed all those chances and the younger opponents were charged up.
However, they played a good tie breaker to WIN !!!
Hope he wins his 1st GS Men’s Doubles title after getting to world no. 1 ranking.

[jayakris]

Getting closer and closer to ensuring that Olympics entry, right?

[sameerph]

Getting closer and closer to ensuring that Olympics entry, right?

Yes, he needs to be in top 10 in June 10th to become eligible. That means around 6000 points ( varies 100-200 points plus or minus). As of now, Rohan has 7650 points in live rankings and has 2450 points falling out before June 10. So, needs only around 800 points to ensure top 10. A win the final will most probably seal his olympic spot here itself.

They will meet an Italian pair in the final.

[F] (2) Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) vs. Simone Bolelli (ITA) / Andrea Vavassori (ITA)

Bolelli and Vavassori are ranked only 56 and 45 in doubles rankings and are having surprise run to the final here.

[Omkara]

Last year Rohan lost in first round. So all points of AO gets added....

[jayakris]

Yes, he needs to be in top 10 in June 10th to become eligible. That means around 6000 points ( varies 100-200 points plus or minus). As of now, Rohan has 7650 points in live rankings and has 2450 points falling out before June 10. So, needs only around 800 points to ensure top 10. A win the final will most probably seal his Olympic spot here itself.

So French Open ending on June 9th will count. He had nothing there either, last year. It is almost impossible for him to miss top-10 in June. I am sure he will pick up at least 1000-1500 pts from now till June 10th. But win AO, and he is home free. That would be so amazing, for him to make Olympics entry at age 44. In tennis. Not in shooting, lawn bowling or some gulli danda event.

The oldest tennis player ever at Olympics was also from India. 100 Years ago. Sydney Jacob in 1924 (Anglo-Indian born in Himachal Pradesh in 1879). He was 44 years and 267 days. Bops will miss that record by about 4 months. India, the land of veteran tennis players

[Sin Hombre]

If Rohan wins the Aussie open at 44 and then can medal at the Olympics, he will shoot to India's second best player in modern times and probably 4th all-time. Obviously very far from that.

Will we have an entry in mixed doubles too?

[rajitghosh]

How do you say 2nd in modern times? Leander, Mahesh and Sania are ahead.

[jayakris]

How do you say 2nd in modern times? Leander, Mahesh and Sania are ahead.

Only Leander has an Olympics medal and Grand Slams. So, Bops would be second if he can win an Olympics medal. For that he needs somebody really good from India as a partner. I don't see a partner who is capable of winning a medal with him.