At the start of the year Rohan Bopanna gave himself the best pre-44th birthday gift when he claimed the World No.1 ranking and clinched his first men’s doubles Grand Slam title in a spectacular 2024 Australian Open fortnight, where he became the poster boy for longevity.
The Indian rode that wave with Matthew Ebden into the summer after which their season lost some shine, bringing to an end a strong partnership. Bopanna, ranked 15, starts the 2025 season down under in starkly different circumstances – pairing with the 37-year-old Colombian Nicolás Barrientos – but is no less determined to keep going.
Excerpts:
Why did you and Ebden decide not to pursue the partnership in 2025?
To me and my coach Scott (Davidoff) it came as a surprise, I don’t think either of us expected it. I mean he had some reasons, he wanted to change.
Initially, during the US Open, he said he was going to play with Austin Krajicek, but I think that fell apart and then he came back saying he wants to play with me. Then during the Paris Masters the Belgians — Joran Vliegen and Sanders Gille — split, when he decided he wanted to play with Vliegen. I don’t know what the real reason behind that was.
What was your thinking behind partnering Nicolás Barrientos?
He was the one available, Ebden said he wanted to play with Joran Vliegen literally five days before Turin (in November). It was so late in the season, everybody already had a partner. One of the reasons to pair with Barrientos (ranked 49) was because there’s a good chance for us to be seeded, especially because we’re going into a Grand Slam.
It was going to be a random pairing anyway no matter who I played with, so I thought I might as well play with somebody who I can be seeded with at least. Especially since I’m defending the title. Also, he’s very strong off the baseline, he’s very quick and makes a lot of balls and that game style could work for me. I’ve played against him but not really hung out with him so much. Even when I played with Ebden it was similar right.
You partnered Sriram Balaji for the Olympics, was he an option?
He was also set with another partner, same with Yuki Bhambri.
You’ve announced you’re playing with Barrientos for just two tournaments, Adelaide and then the Australian Open…
One of the reasons we said only two tournaments is because it depends where we both are ranked after the Australian Open. If I don’t defend points, my ranking drops, so then no way Barrientos and me are getting into Masters or 500 Series draws. I haven’t fixed with anybody else after (Australia) because it all depends on where I am ranked and where Barrientos is ranked.
Is 2025 your farewell season?
Everybody has been asking me the same thing for the last two years. It is tough (to think about retirement) when for the last two years, I’ve qualified for the season-ending championships. When you’re making the ATP Finals it means you have had a good enough season so there is no reason really to stop.
As long as I’m feeling fit and physically ready to play the Masters and the Grand Slams, it (retiring) is not even a consideration.
What did your success in that 12-month stretch from mid-2023 to the summer of 2024 tell you about yourself?
The biggest thing was how well I was feeling physically and that translated into how well I ended up playing. As a team Ebden and I were doing incredibly well, we complimented each other beautifully. What changed personally for me was that belief of being able to perform at a high level and not looking at it in terms of whether I was (doing it) at age 40, at the fag end of my career or not.
How does the future of Indian tennis look at this stage?
First and foremost for the future of Indian tennis, we need the federation to be sorted out, all tournaments juniors or seniors are determined through a solid federation. We need to create a strong domestic circuit. More than everybody looking to play Futures, Challengers, yes we need that, but I think a strong domestic circuit (is what we need the most). Also, once a player crosses 18 they are kind of lost because there’s no platform for them to transition to the next level so players in that age-group are giving up the sport because it is too expensive to travel. In the domestic circuit, there is hardly any prize money so nobody really wants to travel. The domestic circuit needs to grow, something similar to golf maybe.
IN NUMBERS
Bopanna claimed the World No.1 ranking after winning his first major doubles title at the 2024 Australian Open becoming the oldest first-time No. 1 at the age of 43.
Bopanna and Ebden won the 2024 Miami Masters. At the age of 44, Bopanna overtook his own record to become the oldest ATP Masters 1000 finalist and champion.
