Novak Djokovic and Billie Jean King congratulate Rohan Bopanna on becoming world No. 1 in men’s doubles

Rohan Bopanna 43, became the oldest player to become no 1 doubles player

Rohan Bopanna, the veteran Indian tennis player, has achieved a historic feat by becoming the oldest player to attain the world no. 1 ranking in men’s doubles. The 43-year-old, along with his Australian partner Matt Ebden, reached the semifinals of the Australian Open 2024 on Wednesday, which ensured his rise to the top spot when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday.

Bopanna and Ebden defeated the sixth-seeded Argentine pair of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) at the Margaret Court Arena in a thrilling quarterfinal match. They will next face the Czech-Chinese duo of Tomas Machac and Zhizhen Zhang for a place in the final.

Bopanna’s remarkable achievement was applauded by many tennis legends and fans on social media, including the reigning men’s singles champion Novak Djokovic and the former women’s singles champion Billie Jean King.

Djokovic, who is also the defending champion at the Australian Open, posted a hilarious message on his Instagram story, praising Bopanna for reaching the no. 1 ranking “at such a young age”. The Serbian star wrote, “Congratulations Bops. Amazing effort. And to do it at such a young age. Even more impressive.”

King, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time and a pioneer for gender equality in sports, also congratulated Bopanna on Twitter. The American legend tweeted, Congratulations to Rohan bopanna, who has become the oldest world #1 in the history of men’s doubles.

Congratulations to @rohanbopanna, who has become the oldest world #1 in the history of men’s doubles. Stay forever young! https://t.co/wKRjFgkpRl

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) January 25, 2024

Bopanna, who is the fourth Indian player to become the world no. 1 in doubles after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Sania Mirza, expressed his gratitude for the support and appreciation he received. He also dedicated his milestone to his coaches, family, and the Indian tennis fraternity.

Bopanna has been one of the most consistent and successful doubles players in the world for the past few years. He has won 20 ATP titles, including four Masters 1000 events, and reached the final of the US Open in 2010 and 2023. He has also represented India in four Olympics and won a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games.

Bopanna and Ebden will be aiming to win their first Grand Slam title together at the Australian Open, where they have already defeated some of the top seeds in the draw. They will also be hoping to continue their partnership throughout the year and qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin.

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