Rohan Bopanna sunk to the ground after hitting the winner – a forehand smash volley – that sealed his maiden Grand Slam men’s doubles win at the 2024 Australian Open, then returned to his feet and ran towards partner Matthew Ebden to bump chests, a celebration reminiscent of what the Bryan brothers performed. Bopanna had etched his name in history as he became the oldest major winner in the Open Era, but for the 43-year-old, it was more than mere records.

For a player who has been on the tour for almost two decades, and had been on the verge of giving up on the sport even a few years back, as he later admitted, it was an emotional win, not just for him, but also for his family. As the Indian tennis ace celebrated with Ebden with fist pumps and roars, the cameraman caught his wife, Supriya Annaiah in tears. Bopanna then walked up to his box, which comprised his wife, daughter, Tridha, his in-laws and renowned coach Scott Daviddoff.

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Bopanna, speaking in the presentation ceremony, thanked his wife as he recalled the day he had send her a video message, talking about his decision to retire from tennis because he on a winless streak from more than five months then. However, he admitted that his ‘perseverance’ helped him shrug off that thought and keep fighting.

“My beautiful wife, Supriya, & my daughter, Tridha.. thank you for all the support, all the love. I know a couple years ago I sent her a video message & said ‘I’m gonna call it a day.’ Because I wasn’t winning matches at all. I went 5 months without winning a match. I thought that was gonna be the end of my journey. Perseverance inside me just kept me going. I really changed so many things & found a wonderful partner, ” he said.

The Australian Open win was Bopanna’s second Slam title in his career, having earlier lifted the mixed doubles trophy at the 2017 French Open, alongside Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski.