"It came as a surprise", Rohan Bopanna makes shocking revelation after split from Matthew Ebden

After a long time together, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden decided to part ways.

India’s Rohan Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Ebden, the 2024 Australian Open champions, have decided to part ways after two successful years together. The former World Number One men’s doubles pair who first teamed up in January 2023, ended their partnership with a win over Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in their final group match of the ATP Finals 2024 on Friday.

An emotional end to the incredible journey of India’s best tennis player, who continues to dominate the doubles arena even at the age of 44. Having paired up with several players before the Aussie, this particular Indo-Australian duo was arguably Bopanna’s most successful run over the past decade or so.

However, the surprising and unexpected end to their campaign raised eyebrows. After a lot of speculation, the Indian veteran went candid in an interview with TOI, to reveal shocking facts regarding the pair’s split.

As they say, all good things come to an end. On that note let’s take a look back at some of Bopanna and Ebden’s finest moments together.

Achievements

Bopanna and Ebden began their phenomenal title run starting with their victory at the Qatar Open in February 2023, where they defeated Constant Lestienne and Botic van de Zandschulp 6-7 (5), 6-4, 10-6 in the final. The duo continued their success by claiming the Indian Wells doubles title in March 2023, overcoming Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 in the final.

They then finished as runners-up in the US Open 2023, falling agonisingly short of the title, losing to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. After winning the first set, the Ram and Salisbury took the gave away and the hunt for a Grand slam major continued for the Indo-Australian pairing. They then finished second at the Adelaide International in January 2024 too.

However, the duo’s crowning achievement came during the 2025 Australian Open, as their dedication and consistency finally paid off, when Bopanna became the oldest-ever player to win a Grand Slam after he and Ebden clinched the Australian Open men’s doubles title by defeating Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli 7-6 (0), 7-5 in the final.

After a long haul of nine years, an Indian finally won a major Grand Slam title. Bopanna, at the age of 43 years and 331 days, became the oldest World No.1 indicating the Indian’s incredible longevity. The pair further solidified their dominance with a triumph at the Miami Open doubles title in March 2024, beating Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek 6-7, 6-3, 10-6 in the final.

Unfortunately, despite a fantastic start to the year, the pairing faltered at the remaining three Grand Slams, unable to sustain their early momentum. Matthew Ebden, however, found success in Paris by clinching the Olympic Gold at the Games. This drought of titles after their March triumph could have planted seeds of doubt in the Australian’s mind, potentially prompting the decision to part ways and explore new opportunities on the tour.

Rohan Bopanna on the split-up

According to PTI, Rohan Bopanna and his coach Scott Davidoff were caught off guard by Matthew Ebden’s unexpected decision. Bopanna also disclosed that the Aussie had his reasons and was looking for a change.

The Indian revealed that, during the US Open, Ebden had initially intended to team up with Austin Krajicek. However, when that plan failed, he returned and expressed his desire to partner with Bopanna once again. Later, during the Paris Masters, the Belgian duo Joran Vliegen and Sanders Gille decided to split, prompting the Australian to opt for Vliegen as his new partner.

Bopanna further remarked that he remained unclear about the true reasons behind these decisions. While the rationale behind Ebden’s choice to part ways remains uncertain, the conclusion of their illustrious two-year partnership is undeniably unfortunate.

Bopanna’s new partner

Bopanna claimed that Ebden had informed him about the split only five days before Turin (in November). Finding a quality partner was naturally difficult because by then almost everyone had one. At that point, Nicolas Barrientos was the only seeded player (ranked 48), who did not have a partner.

Bopanna mentioned that the Columbian suited his style of play, given his strong baseline play and agility on the court. Having played against Barrientos previously, the Indian claimed his gameplay was very similar to Ebden and his previous partners.

The Indian veteran also added that the possibility of forming a partnership with Sriram Balaji or Yuki Bhambri was ruled out, as both players already had partners at that time.

Is 2025 Bopanna’s farewell season?

Reflecting on being frequently asked whether 2025 would mark his farewell season, Rohan Bopanna explained that contemplating retirement is challenging, especially since he had qualified for the season-ending championships over the past two years.

He said reaching the ATP Finals is a sign of a strong season, leaving little reason to stop competing. He emphasized that as long as he feels fit and physically prepared to compete in the Masters and Grand Slam tournaments, retirement is not something he would consider.

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