Australian Open 2025: The top five Indian performances down under

The Australian Open, one of tennis's four prestigious Grand Slam tournaments, has witnessed some remarkable performances by Indian players over the years.

While Indian tennis has traditionally been more prominent in doubles, players like Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania Mirza, and Rohan Bopanna have all etched their names in the history books with memorable achievements.

Here's a look at some of the best Indian performances at the Australian Open over the years. 

Rohan Bopanna's triumph of 2024

Rohan Bopanna scripted history in 2024 by becoming the oldest player to win a Grand Slam when he won the Australian Open with Matthew Ebden. 

The Indo-Australian pair defeated Italian duo Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, and after 61 attempts, Rohan Bopanna finally had his hands on the second Grand Slam, the first being the French Open in 2017 mixed doubles. 

In addition to that, it was the first time in eight years an Indian got hold of the trophy, since Sania Mirza's triumph back in 2016. 

Bopanna showed to the world that age is just a number and he lives by that example to this day. 

Leander Paes breaks the duck for India down under in 2003

To this day, Leander Paes remains one of the most iconic tennis players to come out of the country, if not the greatest of all time.

His nearly three-decade career in professional tennis saw him win 18 Grand Slams, eight in men's doubles and ten in mixed doubles, but the Australian Open in 2003 in its way, was special.

His victory in the mixed doubles against Eleni Daniilidou and Todd Woodbridge partnering up with the legendary Czech Republican Martina Navratilova marked the first instance of an Indian winning the Australian Open, essentially breaking the duck for India.

He would eventually go on to win three more, all in the mixed doubles category, the final one in 2015, where the legendary player went on to win three of the four Grand Slams in mixed doubles! 

Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupati's all-India triumph of 2009

Sania Mirza is another iconic Indian tennis player and she has taken a special liking to the Australian Open, winning it two times.

The first of the two title wins came in 2009, with Indian partner Mahesh Bhupathi, an extra special moment for India since it was the first time in Australia an all-Indian pair won the Grand Slam.

The pair defeated Nathalie Dechy and Andy Ram in the finals in straight sets, etching their name in the history books of Indian tennis.

Sumit Nagal's stunning first-round win in 2024

While Indians have had a lot of success in the doubles category, the returns in singles have been scanty at best.

Sumit Nagal was drafted into the qualifier rounds and faced then world no.27 Alexander Bublik, in a match no one expected him to win.

But to everyone's surprise, Nagal produced an excellent match and defeated the Kazakhstan tennis player in straight sets and advanced to the second round.

This was the first time since Ramesh Krishnan in 1989 a men's singles player from India defeated a seeded player in a Grand Slam.

This win was the biggest win of Sumit's career, and it kickstarted what was a very highly successful 2024 for the Indian.

Nirupama Vaidyanathan, the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam match

Nirupama Vaidyanathan's win in the first round of the 1998 Australian Open was historic.

She came into the main draw as just the second Indian woman in the Open era to feature in the main draw of a Grand Slam, and the first in singles.

To add the cherry on top of that proverbial ice cream, she went on to win her first-round match against Gloria Pizzichini, becoming the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam match.

Her victory served as the pedestal for future Indian women tennis players to step on and embark further, a win that is akin to the fall of the first domino. 

As the 2025 Australian Open is upon us, it is hoped that more such historic moments awaits the Indians, and more stories being added to the rich legacy of this sport.