India K Rohan Bopanna, aged 43, after reaching the Australian Open men’s doubles semi-finals with Australia’s Matthew Ebden Tennis has become the oldest player in the world.
Bopanna and Australia’s Ebden beat Argentina’s pair of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Moltini 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).
Bopanna will go to the top of the doubles rankings for the first time on Monday.
He said: ‘It will affect the whole world and I don’t think just in tennis (but in other fields too).
He also addressed ‘people all over the world’, saying: ‘Being over 40, I think it will affect them (people) in a different positive way.’
Bopanna and Ebden will face Tomas Meacock and Zhang Zizhen in the semi-finals in Melbourne.
Bopanna became the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion when he won the Indian Wells doubles title with Ebden in March last season.
He turned professional in 2003 and has won a Grand Slam mixed doubles title at the 2017 French Open alongside Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski.
Bopanna credits her long playing career to her physiotherapist and yoga.
This section contains related reference points (Related Nodes field).
He said: ‘I told them (the physio) specifically what I needed because I have no cartilage in my knees. It is completely gone.’
According to Bopanna: ‘Yoga in a way not only strengthened my legs, my body, but I think it made me calmer on the tennis court. This helped me focus much better. I don’t feel the need for speed on the tennis court.’
Bopanna will move to the top of the world rankings when it is updated next Monday. He and Ebden have the same points tally but the Australian has played three more tournaments in the same period.
The previous oldest men’s doubles number one was Mike Bryan, who was 41 years and 76 days.
Serena Williams is the oldest women’s singles number one at 35, while Roger Federer is the oldest men’s singles number one at 36.
David Wagner was 44 years old in 2018 when he topped the quad wheelchair rankings.
For authentic news and current affairs analysis join Independent Urdu’s WhatsApp channel Here Click
#Tennis #Indias #Rohan #Bopanna #worlds #oldest #player #mens #doubles
2024-08-12 13:26:38
