Veteran doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna wrote his name into tennis history books after becoming the oldest World No.1 in men’s doubles. His run to the 2024 Australian Open men’s doubles final, alongside Matthew Ebden, fuelled his rise to the top at the age of 43.
Bopanna bettered his previous career-high doubles rank of World No.3 with an incredible run in Melbourne. After a brief stint in singles early in his career, the Indian icon forged an illustrious career as a doubles specialist. The 2024 Australian Open will be his third time reaching the final in men’s doubles. This helped him become the doubles World No.1 at 43, just two months before his 44th birthday. He became the oldest man to be the top-ranked player.
Throughout his career, Bopanna has accumulated $6,286,586 in total prize money. Only $230,490 has come from singles, a category he has barely featured in since 2012. By making it to the finals of the 2024 Australian Open, Bopanna and Ebden have assured themselves at least A$400,000 ($272,782) to be split equally. A title win would see this figure shoot up to A$730,000 ($497,827).
With a long career behind him, Rohan Bopanna has an estimated net worth of $5 million (as per various sources). Asics sponsors his outfits and equipment. The Indian Oil Corporation, a government undertaking, is his principal sponsor. He is also an ambassador for GoodDot, a vegan food and plant-based meat company.
Bopanna has also forayed into the business world, starting a coffee company in 2013. He founded The Flying Squirrel to share the famous coffee of his native town, Coorg, with people across India. He also established the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy in 2016 in his current home city.
Bopanna resides in Bengaluru with his wife Supriya Annaiah, a psychologist, whom he married in 2012. She is often seen in stands to watch her husband play. Cameras picked her up during Bopanna’s 2023 Australian Open campaign, and she quickly made heads turn on the internet. He also joined in on the banter, agreeing with the praise his wife received.
After many near misses, Rohan Bopanna targets title glory at 2024 Australian Open
Winning the 2017 French Open mixed doubles title with Gabriela Dabrowski remains the biggest laurel in Bopann’s career so far. Before the 2024 Australian Open, he finished runner-up twice in men’s doubles. At the 2010 US Open, he and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi lost to the legendary Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike. He waited 13 years for his next chance, reaching the men’s doubles final at the 2023 US Open with Matthew Ebden. However, he again lost to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. Additionally, the Indian legend has also lost two ATP Finals finals, in 2012 and 2015.
After a handful of near misses, Rohan Bopanna will hope to cross the final hurdle in the 2024 Australian Open. Partnering up with home favourite Ebden, he has played great tennis to drop only two sets so far. The #2 seeded pair will take on the unseeded Italian duo of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori. The men’s doubles final will be played in the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, January 27, not before 8:45 p.m. local time (4:45 a.m. ET).
While Bopanna is assured of becoming the oldest player to reach the No.1 rank in doubles regardless of the result, he will want to get his hands on his first men’s doubles Grand Slam title.
