Indian sports highlights 2024: Bopanna becomes oldest first-time World No. 1 in men’s doubles, Nagal makes Top 100 debut
Indian sports highlights 2024: Bopanna becomes oldest first-time World No. 1 in men’s doubles, Nagal makes Top 100 debut
While 2024 was another tough year for Indian tennis in terms of results, there were a few moments that stood out and kept hopes of a brighter future alive – Rohan Bopanna’s title-winning run at the Australian Open making him oldest first-time World No. 1 in men’s doubles, and Sumit Nagal’s entry into ATP Top 100.
After 19 different partners and 61 attempts, Bopanna finally won the men’s doubles Grand Slam title he had been chasing ever since he made his ATP Tour debut in doubles 22 years ago in Chennai.
Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden beat Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6(0), 7-5 at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne to clinch the Australian Open.
The achievement also made Bopanna the oldest first-time men’s doubles World No. 1 and the oldest man ever to win a Major in the Open era.
He was also selected for the Padma Shri award, the fourth highest civilian honour.
Ranked 121 at the start of the Chennai Open ATP Challenger, Nagal went all the way to guarantee himself Top 100 debut in the ATP Rankings. Nagal became the first Indian since Prajnesh Gunneswaran in 2019 to break the Top 100 barrier as he defeated Italy’s Luca Nardi 6-1, 6-4 in the final for his fifth title on the ATP Challenger Tour.
Nagal also played the main draw at all four Majors as well as the Paris Olympics.
