Rohan Bopanna becomes oldest first-time World No. 1 with maiden semifinal run in Australian Open men’s doubles

India’s grand old man of tennis, Rohan Bopanna, on Wednesday, added another feather to his already-crammed hat as the 43-year-old has been assured of becoming the oldest first-time World No. 1 in ATP men’s doubles ranking following his stellar 6-4, 7-6 (5) win in the men’s doubles quarterfinals of 2024 Australian Open alongside Australia’s Matthew Ebden against Argentinian duo of Máximo González and Andrés Molteni.

The Indian tennis ace claimed the brand-new record by surpassing Rajeev Ram of the USA, who had climbed atop in October 2022, at the age of 38, for the first time in his career, swapping places with partner Joe Salisbury of Great Britain.

Following a brief delay at the end of the third game, as bubbles were spotted on the court due to overnight rain in Melbourne, the Indo-Aussie pair closed out the opening set in just over half an hour. After breaking Gonzalez’s serve in the fifth game, Bopanna comfortably served out the first set, winning it 6-4.

Both the Argentine’s serves were tested early on the second set, but they held their nerves against the No. 2 seed as the proceedings headed to a tie-break. Bopanna and Ebden never lost a tie-break (4-0) in three matches so far in Melbourne, and the streak remained intact. The duo stuttered initially against the No. 3 seed, which included a double fault from Ebden. However, the Aussie reprieved himself with an ace and then a forehand winner, bouncing back from 1-3 down to 4-4 before two stunning returns from Bopanna saw the pair claim victory.

With the win on Court 3, Bopanna, playing his 17th consecutive tournament at Melbourne Park, having made his debut in 2008, reached the semifinals at the Australian Open for the first time in his career. His previous best was a third-round finish which he achieved six times in his career, the last in 2018 before incurring an array of five-straight opening-round exits. And it subsequently assures him the No. 1 crown when the fresh ranking list will be announced on Monday, the day after the final.

It comes almost four months after the Indian star became the oldest-ever man to make a Grand Slam final in the Open Era, when he and Ebden lost the US Open final in September. And it’s more than 20 years since he turned pro.

The win also completed his set of at least a semifinal appearance at all the Slams. After four quarterfinal runs in 2011, 2016, 2018 and 2021, Bopanna had reached the semis at Roland Garros in 2022, partnering Matwé Middelkoop. At Wimbledon, he made three semifinal appearances, in 2013, 2015 and 2023, while in New York, he made the final twice, 2010 being the other year.

The second-seed men’s doubles pair will next face unseeded Zhang Zhizhen of China and Czech Republic’s Tomáš Macháč, who beat Adam Pavlásek and Ariel Behar 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinal on Tuesday.

The India great now stands two wins away from a maiden Grand Slam trophy in men’s doubles. He is, however, a mixed doubles Grand Slam champion, having claimed his most prized possession back in 2017 alongside Gabriela Dabrowski. Ebden, also a mixed doubles major winner, has a men’s doubles Slam title to his name. He had won Wimbledon in 2022 with fellow Aussie Max Purcell.

If Bopanna, who turns 44 in March, does manage to do just that, he would become the oldest player to win a Grand Slam men’s doubles title.