'Indian tennis needed this,' says Rohan Bopanna after becoming oldest No. 1 in men's doubles history

Rohan Bopanna secured the No. 1 ranking after he and Australian Matthew Eden defeated Argentine duo Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni to enter the semi-finals of the 2024 Australian Open.

Rohan Bopanna is currently playing at the 2024 Australian Open. (Image:

Mumbai: The Australian Open 2024 has been a remarkable tournament so far, especially for Indian tennis fans, as doubles player Rohan Bopanna has been in exceptional form. Together with Matthew Ebden, the 43-year-old has reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time in his long career.
To add to his extraordinary accolades, Wednesday's quarter-final victory over Argentine duo Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni Bopanna ensured he became the world's oldest No. 1 in the ATP men's doubles rankings after the end of the tournament.

“It feels absolutely amazing and incredible to be where I am today, especially after twenty years of working in the sport and constantly trying to perform at the highest level. Indian tennis needed this,” Bopanna told Sony Sports during an interview.

“When you watch sports, growing up you always have idols and someone who inspires you. I hope reaching the number 1 position inspires someone back home. With all the support I have received over the last two decades, this is something I have to give back to the entire nation,” he added.

Earlier, India's No. 1 singles star Sumit Nagal was also on an inspiring run, reaching the second round of the 2024 Australian Open, ending the country's 34-year wait to see a seeded player in the main draw to beat the singles. With Bopanna rewriting men's doubles history by reaching the No. 1 ranking for the first time, Indian tennis fans have more than one reason to celebrate and cherish the tournament.

“I think every fan deserves credit. Indian tennis deserves much more credit. It is a sport with many talented young people, who really need the support to reach the big stage. Today is a wonderful day to start this journey and I hope many Indian players reach the highest level of tennis,” he said.

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden will take on Zhang Zhizhen and Tomas Machac in the 2024 Australian Open semi-final at Rod Laver Arena. The match will be broadcast LIVE on Sony Sports Network on January 25, 2024.