'I'm Gonna Call It A Day': Rohan Bopanna Recalls Contemplating Retirement in Emotional Speech After Australian Open Win

Timeless and tireless: these are the words that could best describe Rohan Bopanna after his historic win today at the Australian Open.

Bopanna, along with Matthew Ebden, clinched the Men’s Doubles title by mustering a nail-biter of a win against the likes of Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori after two strenuous straight sets of 7-6, 7-5.

By doing so, the Indian scripted history as, at 43 years of age, Bopanna became the oldest player to win a Grand Slam, surpassing Dutchman Jean-Julien Rojer who won the French Open men’s doubles title along with partner Marcelo Arevola, at the age of 40.\

The taste of victory at the end of the long winding road, that is his career, might be as sweet as it gets. But the Indian’s path to glory was anything but the same. It was also not a road he may have tread if it weren’t for his close loved ones.

In a post-match interview at the Rod Laver Arena, an emotional Bopanna opened up about the struggles he faced with finding success during his career and shared anecdotes on how his family has always been the bedrock of his success.

“My in-laws are here. The last time they came I won my mixed doubles Grand Slam (French Open 2017). I don’t know why they don’t come more often. My beautiful wife, Supriya, & my daughter, Tridha.. thank you for all the support, all the love,” exclaimed Bopanna on the mic.

The 43-year-old tennis ace also went on to share how he contemplated calling it quits earlier in his career and how his wife was pivotal in his hunt for glory.

“I know a couple of 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 and found a wonderful partner.”

Well, India as a nation would be happy that Bopanna did not give up. And all the hard work is set to come to fruition even more as the Indian is also slated to become the oldest number one in men’s doubles history when the new rankings are released next week.

This win at Australia marks Bopanna’s second Grand Slam in his extensive career, with his only previous Grand Slam win coming at the 2017 French Open in mixed doubles, with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski.