A look at Rohan Bopanna's qualification for Paris Olympics 2024

The 2024 Paris Olympics will be Rohan Bopanna’s third campaign.

Rohan Bopanna sailed through difficulties to book his spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He will be representing India at the quadrennial event for the third time, after playing at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio events. It hasn’t been an easy journey for the 44-year-old, as he was contemplating retirement after the COVID-19 pandemic.

For about five months he couldn’t win a single match. But, his persistence kept him in the hunt and choosing the right partner in Matthew Ebden helped him become the oldest player to win a Grand Slam. Probably that is the reason why the All India Tennis Association has listened to Bopanna’s voice by choosing N Sriram Balaji as his doubles partner for the mega event.

How did Rohan Bopanna qualify for Paris Olympics?

The Olympic qualification was based on rankings, as the top 10 players in the ATP doubles rankings were the first to qualify, provided that they had a partner from their country who is ranked inside the top 300. There are 32 teams in the men’s doubles event, with a maximum of two teams per nation.

The Olympic quota was easily met by World No. 4 Bopanna, who has been in the top 10 in the ATP doubles rankings since November last year. Bopanna had a choice between Yuki Bhambri and N. Sriram Balaji for his Olympic partner in Paris. He decided to play alongside world No. 67 Balaji.

Rohan Bopanna’s Journey to Paris Olympics

The two-time Grand Slam champion started his journey to Paris by partnering with Mathew Ebden in 2023. They started the season well, qualifying for the finals in Rotterdam. The pair went one step further by winning titles at the 2023 Qatar Open and Indian Wells. Beating the then-World No. 1 pair of Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski and the defending champions John Isner and Jack Sock boosted his confidence.

Rohan Bopanna returned to the top 10 in the rankings, having reached the finals of the Madrid Open. With a semi-final performance at Wimbledon and a final appearance at the 2023 US Open, he strengthened his place in the rankings. It was all but certain that he would make it to the Olympics and by winning the 2024 Australian Open, Bopanna established that he will be aiming for a medal at the Olympics, along with a new partner in Sriram Balaji.

In the past, Bopanna has played at the Davis Cup and Asian Games alongside Yuki Bhambri and has also experienced success on the ATP Tour alongside Ramkumar Ramanathan. The 44-year-old made his selection based on several considerations and Balaji has done well at the French Open recently, where the tennis competition for the Olympics will take place.

Rohan Bopanna’s Olympic Career

The choice of partner has greatly influenced Rohan Bopanna’s Olympic career. At his debut Olympics in London 2012, Bopanna was partnered with Mahesh Bhupathi, as they both had been preparing as a pair throughout the season. But, Leander Paeas, the highest-ranked Indian player at the time, wanted to pair with him. However, Bopanna refused and decided to continue with Bhupathi in London.

The duo was seeded seventh and was expected to be a medal prospect for India. But, they lost in the second round to eventual bronze medalists Richard Gasquet and Julien Benneteau of France. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he partnered with Leander Paes, but made an early exit in the first round. The medal hopes were from the mixed doubles pair of Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza.

The pair was seeded fourth and had a good start to their campaign. Their biggest challenge was against the American pair of Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram. The Indian team won the first set with ease, but the Americans reversed course to take the match. The Mirza-Bopanna pair had another heartbreak as they lost in the bronze medal match to deny a well-deserved Olympic medal.

Major Highlights in his Career

• 2017 French Open mixed doubles champion.
• 2024 Australian Open men’s doubles champion.
• Oldest first-time World No. 1 at age 43.
• Oldest Masters Winner: 2024 Miami Open.
• Oldest Grand Slam Winner: 2024 Australian Open.
• Oldest player to win match at ATP Tour Finals.
• Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year (2010).
• Won five of nine Masters 1000 events.
• Padma Shri, 2024.

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