Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden defeated Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori of Italy 7-6(0), 7-5 in the 2024 Australian Open men’s doubles final on Saturday, becoming the oldest players to win a Grand Slam. The 43-year-old Bopanna broke the record of Jean-Julien Rojer, who won the French Open men’s doubles title with Marcelo Arevola in 2022 at the age of 40. For Bopanna and Ebden, it was their first title together. They lost the US Open final last year. This was Bopanna’s first Grand Slam doubles victory in 60 attempts, another record. The Indian great’s sole other Grand Slam victory came in mixed doubles at the 2017 French Open, where she won alongside Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada.
For Ebden, this is his second Grand Salm doubles win. He won his first Wimbledon title in 2022, alongside fellow Australian Max Purcell. In 16 prior appearances at the Australian Open, Bopanna’s best result was six third-round appearances, the last in 2018. He had previously been knocked out in the first round, including against Ebden in 2023.
On his way to winning the doubles title, Bopanna was assured of the No. 1 position in men’s doubles after winning his quarter-final match on Monday, making him the oldest player to accomplish so for the first time.