Australian Open 2024: Bopanna-Ebden pair beats Bolelli and Vavassori to win men's doubles title

Men’s doubles pair of Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden clinched the 2024 Australian Open title after beating Italian duo of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6, 7-5 in the final on Saturday.

Doubles delight 🏆🏆@rohanbopanna 🇮🇳 and @mattebden 🇦🇺 defeat Italian duo Bolelli/Vavassori 🇮🇹 7-6(0) 7-5. @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/WaR2KXF9kp

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2024

As a result, Bopanna, 43, has now gone onto become the oldest Grand Slam champion. He beat the record of Jean-Julien Rojer, who aged 40, would go onto lift the French Open men’s doubles title with Marcelo Arevola in 2022. This is Bopanna’s second Grand Slam title, having won the French Open mixed doubles title with Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada in 2017.

Bopanna had a special message for the fans after the victory. “Hey, everyone. Totally, totally amazing you know, winning my first men’s doubles grand slam. No other person than Matt Ebden to be by my side to have won this men’s doubles Grand Slam. To all the people who have shown love, support, this victory is definitely yours as much as mine. So, really thank you from the bottom of my heart with all the support and love you have shown me for years. Lastly, never never have any limitations. Keep believing in yourselves because you never know when life can change and make it ansolutely magical. Thank you guys. Love you all,” he said.

It was such hard-fought battle at the Rod Laver arena that the contest featured only one break of serve when Vavassori dropped his serve at love in game 11 of the second set. There were not many break points on offer either.

Look what it means to @rohanbopanna and @mattebden 😍

At 43, Bopanna has his FIRST Men's Doubles Grand Slam title - and becomes the oldest to do so in the Open Era 👏👏#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/qs0JlrkMO7

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2024

The second seeds had breakpoints in successive games in the beginning of the contest. However, the Italians saved both to stay on even terms.

In game two, off Bolelli’s serve, Vavassori hit a volley at 30-30 but Bopanna hit a return long.

In game four, the Italians were again down a break point when at 30-30, a return from Bopanna jumped off the net chord to give the second seeds a free point. However, Vavassori served well to save that point as well.

Serving 4-5, and 30-all, Bolelli was under pressure again but pulled off a powerful cross court forehand which was away from Bopanna’s reach and then served huge to make it 5-all.

Ebden’s serve came under pressure in game 11 in which he faced a breakpoint, but, after playing deuce points, the Australian closed the game with an ace.

In the tie-breaker, Bolelli’s serve was broken twice as the second seeds zoomed to a 5-0 lead without losing a point on their serve.

Vavassori too lost his serve to hand their rivals six set points. They converted the first, Ebden finding a forehand winner down the line.

Bopanna will be crowned the new number one on Monday when the ATP rankings will be updated. At 43, he will be the oldest player to be perched on top of the ranking pile.

Bolelli had won the Australian Open men’s doubles in 2015 with partner Fabio Fognini.

With inputs from PTI