Rohan Bopanna became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title as he and partner Mathew Ebden lifted the Australian Open men’s doubles title on Saturday with a 7-6 (0), 7-5 victory over Italian duo Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori. This is 43-year-old’s first men’s doubles title, coming days after he is confirmed to be the world No 1 for the first time.
After the win, Bopanna and Ebden spoke to the reporters at the press conference. Excerpts:
Q: Is this your best moment ever on a tennis court?
Ebden: Yeah, I mean, to win a slam here at home… We said it’s the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific and to do it with a fellow Asia-Pacific man, an Indian guy with Aussie guy, I think it’s pretty awesome that we got the title.
Bopanna: For me, without a doubt the best moment in my career. I mean, there are so many thoughts which are running through my head – like as if it’s ready to explode. But, you know, with the year we had last year, to continue and start off like this and win a Grand Slam, you know, no better player to do it with. Like Matt said, it is a home slam, after all. Amazing, amazing feeling.
Q: Since teaming up last year you’ve had very quick success; semis at Wimbledon, final U.S., and one better this year at the Oz Open. What do you attribute to your quick success as a doubles pair?
Ebden: I think we both challenged each other to improve in certain areas. I think that part of the partnership has been a godsend maybe for both of us, because I feel like we both improved a heck of a lot over 12 months ago. I know I certainly have. I’ve seen Bops playing incredible this last 6 to 9 to 10 months as well.
I think these days to win in doubles or to be No. 1, the best, you have to be really great in every area. You can’t just be a serve-volleyer or have a bad forehand or have bad returns or a bad serve or something. The level is so high.
Q: You spoke on the court about struggling to win matches and thoughts of quitting the game. Do you have any words of wisdom and advice from your experience, for those going through similar testing times?
Bopanna: I think the No. 1 thought which comes to my head is to not really have limitations. We set ourselves those limitations. As human beings, we have goals. When we don’t achieve that quickly or in a time frame, we think that’s the end of that journey. So I think the biggest thing is to speak about how you’re feeling, whether it is even to yourself.
I still remember back in Estoril, in Portugal, I was sitting there, I had not won a match for the first four months of the year. That’s when I told my wife, I told Scott as well, my coach, that, ‘I don’t think I can go any further. I’m not winning matches. I’ve been playing 20 years of tennis. I’ve never had this terrible of a start, not winning matches.’ I think just expressing that, you know, relaxed me. I then said, ‘Okay, let’s just go and start enjoying what I’m doing.’ I said, ‘Okay, let’s persevere and see where I can push it, and let’s try and finish the season strong and then take it from there.’ I think that was the key. Yes, I had thoughts of quitting and stopping, but to just persevere and enjoy what I was doing was the best thing I told myself.
Q: What were the first thoughts as soon as Bops knocked away the overhead [to win]? What were the first thoughts that came to both your heads?
Bopanna: It was so much of a weight on the shoulders when it — you know, it just came off. Automatically I fell down. (Laughter.) That moment, I don’t think you think of how you’re going to celebrate. I was just thinking, don’t miss that smash. It was probably the easiest smash on match point ever. Especially to win a Grand Slam.
It was a huge relief, especially in my case. For years and years I’ve been trying to, you know, get there. I mean, the hurdle was tough. I mean, of course it’s tough. There are a few players, yes, make it easier than it actually is. But to still be at it, working day in, day out. These two weeks, to be honest, Scottie just told me one thing is that go after and play your aggressive style of play no matter what the situation, what the score was. You know, I think that really worked well for us. You know, the calmness we bring in on the court, no matter what the situation is, first round we were down Love-5. I mean, I don’t think that fazed us. We were just trying to win a game. That is the biggest strength we bring as a partnership. And it is obviously — if we are both playing great we are untouchable on that court, but then at situations, close moments, when we are focused and understand what the game plan is, I think that is our biggest strength. Today, especially in that tiebreak, you know, I think we played the best tennis of the week in the tiebreak.
Ebden: Yeah, yeah, what he said takes me back, I had that same feeling at Wimbledon couple years ago, the moment we won match point. You just lose all comprehension of your body and you collapse. I saw him collapse, and then I was, like, oh, yeah, I’m going to lie down and just enjoy this moment too. I didn’t have the initial — I mean, I saw the smash go up for a sitter, I was, like, oh, this is over. I was pretty happy. Just saw him collapse. I was, like, all right, I’m going to head down and just lay down and enjoy the moment. Yeah, special moment. I mean, I think on the flip side after winning one or two and whatever, then you try not to overthink it or make it too much bigger of a deal than it is so that you can remain present and calm and play it like just another match. In the end it is just another match but of course it’s a great big match. These are the moments we play for. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t happy, excited, wanting to win the big titles, the big matches, the finals. But yeah, I’m happy with the balance we kept and showed. I think we took even another step up these last couple of weeks after a tough loss in Adelaide. I think the week before in the final, I think maybe that was the final learning thing for us as a team to even help us improve a little bit more to get us through more tough moments. Since round 1, like he said, we’ve been fighting through tough moments. It’s for me been the model of the tournament. We’ve just been fighting through tough moments. When we play great, like he said, great, we win some sets. There’s tough conditions, there’s incredible players from round 1. So yeah, it’s been a fun two weeks.
Q: What do you say to all the youngsters out there who look at a 43-year-old Grand Slam winner and a World No. 1 thinking, Oh, I can knock him off?
Bopanna: I think there’s a mutual respect in that locker room. Everybody’s coming through that journey. They’ve all been through that journey. I don’t think there is a player who really thinks that way. You know, for the youngsters coming in, it’s a great learning, you know. We are constantly looking at, you know, players who have been there on the circuit for a long time. Especially when I came into the locker room, everything is overwhelming, you have champions and you’re sitting right next to them. You know, it’s not like the locker room, everyone is separated. So I think there’s a lot of wisdom to give back to the youngsters. I think a lot of them come, I’ve spoken to them many times. They really appreciate, you know, what little feedback can be done and how to go about a few things. When I see them move, I really wish I could move like that. I learned my anticipation more than my sliding into the court. Yesterday I was watching Jannik Sinner, he was sliding in to hit a pass. I was like, I never did it on clay court and these guys are doing it on the hard courts. I’m in awe with the way they move. I think it’s just wonderful to just be around and it’s a very good space, you know, where everybody I think is not really thinking twice of how they’re feeling or what they’re communicating. Everybody, that’s their own space and it’s a beautiful space, that locker room, to hang out with everyone.
Q: You joked about thinking of yourself at level 43 rather than age 43, but in all seriousness, how does the body feel recovering after matches and how long do you foresee yourself playing, or, like you said, before, do you not give yourself any limits?
Bopanna: I think right now I’m playing my best tennis of my life. The biggest reason for that is also how I’m managing my body, my time, in terms of there are days when I tell my coach or Matty that I don’t want to practice. I think the recovery is a huge aspect of, you know, where I’m really focusing on to get ready, on to the matches. From the first day I landed here in Adelaide till yesterday, every single day I have been in the ice bath. I think that is a No. 1 recovery for me, which really makes it, helps all the inflammation in the body. And apart from that, you know, doing the mobility, you know, 45 minutes, hour before each practice, matches, getting my massage done. I have invested in a physio who is really traveling with me a lot more sometimes than even my coach because that is an aspect I really need. No matter how much the coach wants me to play a particular way or particular style, if I’m not fit enough to do that, it doesn’t make any sense. So I think when I decided to play with Matty, I said, okay, let’s figure out what I can do better to help this partnership. The No. 1 thing was to be 100% fit for all the matches that I’m playing. I think thankfully Matt is someone who has respected that in terms of some days which I don’t want to practice, and he understands where I’m coming from. So I have stopped going to the gym. I really do specific kind of work for my body. I do a lot of yoga. In the morning I do some meditation to just start off the day. As I’m getting older, I feel I can’t sleep past 7:30, 8:00. I’m up no matter what. Then I have some time by myself, and I enjoy that. Yeah, that has been the biggest key, which has really helped me be calmer and feel refreshed. As long as I’m enjoying and playing my best tennis, I don’t see there is any reason to really stop at the moment.