Two-time Grand Slam Champion Rohan Bopanna Officially Announces Retirement

Hyderabad: India’s tennis stalwart Rohan Bopanna announced his retirement from professional tennis on Saturday. With his announcement, a remarkable career spanning more than two decades came to an end. His last appearance came at the Paris Masters 1000, where he was paired with Alexander Bublik. The pair was knocked out in the Round of 32 after a close contest, suffering a 5-7, 6-2, 10-8 defeat against John Peers and James Tracy.

Bopanna carved out an illustrious career as he showcased a booming serve, sharp net play, and an enduring presence in doubles and mixed doubles. The 45-year-old clinched the 2017 French Open title with Gabriela Dabrowski and also became a cornerstone of Indian tennis. Also, he has represented the country at the Davis Cup ties and the Olympic Games.

The 45-year-old inked one of the most inspiring chapters of his career as he bagged the Australian Open men’s doubles title and rose to World No. 1 at the age of 43. He became the oldest player to rise to the top spot by doing so. He has also made it to the four other Grand Slam finals - one in men’s doubles (with Matthew Ebden at the 2023 US Open) and three in mixed doubles (with Timea Babos at the 2018 Australian Open, Sania Mirza at the 2023 Australian Open, and Dabrowski at the 2017 French Open).

Bopanna also featured in the ATP Finals in 2012 and 2015, alongside Mahesh Bhupathi and Florin Mergea, respectively.

“A Goodbye... But Not The End. How do you bid farewell to something that gave your life its meaning? After 20 unforgettable years on tour however, it's time... I'm officially hanging up my racquet. As I write this, my heart feels both heavy and grateful,” he said on his ‘X’ handle.

“Starting my journey from a small town of Coorg in India, chopping blocks of wood to strengthen my serve, jogging through coffee estates to build stamina and chasing dreams on cracked courts to standing under the lights of the biggest arenas in the world - it all feels surreal. Tennis hasn't been just a game for me - It has given me purpose when I was lost, strength when I was broken and belief when the world doubted me,” he added.

Bopanna won doubles titles with 15 different players across his career, and the journey began in 2003. He won his first tournament along with Eric Butorac in 2008 in Los Angeles and went on to accumulate 539 tour-level wins, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He won 26 tour-level doubles titles during his career.

He began playing tennis at the age of 11 because his father wanted him to pursue an individual sport, but he began taking it seriously at the age of 19. Bopanna's favourite is grass.