Bopanna-Ebden pair falters in final hurdle at Paris Masters 2023

Published at :November 6, 2023 at 9:33 AM

Modified at :January 14, 2024 at 12:58 AM

(Courtesy : The Sentinel Assam)

The pair has lost two successive Masters final.

The Indo-Australian pairing of Rohan Bopanna-Matthew Ebden had a highly successful debut year, reaching the finals of the US Open 2023 and ATP 1000 events in Madrid and Shanghai. However, they faced disappointment at the recently concluded Paris Masters 2023 when they narrowly missed their chance for a second ATP Masters 1000 crown this season, having previously won in Indian Wells in March.

Their loss in Paris came against the seventh-seeded pair, Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, in a three setter 2-6, 7-5, 10-7, lasting an hour and 30 minutes. Along with missing out on the trophy, their opportunity to become the World No. 1 team on the Pepperstone ATP Ranking also slipped away.

A victory in Paris would have propelled the Indo-Australian pair to the top ranking, replacing Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek as the new leading doubles team. Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin capitalized on four of the five break point opportunities given, won 27 out of 32 first-serve points (84%), and saved three of four break points to defeat the US Open champions, Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, in the semifinals who are also fellow qualifiers for the Nitto ATP Finals, with a score of 6-3, 6-3.

The 2023 Rolex Paris Masters marked their fifth title as a team during the current season and their second ATP Masters 1000 crown following their victory in Miami.

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Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin, who had won the Swiss Indoor Basel trophy just a week earlier, managed to defeat the second, third, and fourth-seeded pairs to claim their second ATP Masters 1000 title of the year. This victory sends them into the Nitto ATP Finals 2023 with high spirits.

For their successful run at Bercy, the Mexican-French pairing received €282,960 ($300,000) and 1000 ATP points. Meanwhile, Bopanna and Ebden had to settle for €147,840 ($158,000) and 600 points. They have also secured qualification for the ATP Finals in Turin.