Rohan Bopanna: The battle-hardened hero of Indian tennis

Rohan Bopanna's long and illustrious career came to an end on Monday. The 44-year-old tennis legend played his last match in the India jersey at the Paris Olympics 2024, losing to Gael Monfils and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France 5-7, 2-6.

Bopanna might have expected a more colourful ending to his international career, but it was not meant to be.

However, his last dance in India colour could not have come to a better place. It was at Roland Garros that Bopanna won his maiden Grand Slam title back in 2017 partnering Gabriela Dabrowski.

The news of his retirement was not a surprise though, since he put the curtain down on his career at the Davis Cup last year, marking the end of an era.

"Right from 2002, making my debut and 22 years later still getting to represent India, I am extremely proud of that," Bopanna told PTI after playing his last match for India in Paris 2024.

"I never even thought that I'd be representing India for two decades," he added.

In the last two decades, he won 26 ATP doubles titles, two grand slam titles and an Asian Games gold. These feats put Bopanna in the top echelon of Indian tennis, making him one of the finest in the country.

In a sport where not many Indians made a lasting impression, Bopanna is a late bloomer. His career took a trajectory for the better in his later years, with most of his major accolades coming after he turned 30.

Dabbling with retirement

Bopanna's career has had its fair share of ups and downs, none more so in 2021, when he faced to deal with defeat and defeat.

In fact, the ace Indian tennis player had lost every match he played at the start of the year and contemplated retirement.

More so than his bad form, injuries were another major hurdle, with his knee being worn out due to the physical demands of the game. He admitted to taking multiple painkillers a day.

"In 2019, I was taking two or three painkillers a day. There was no cartilage left in my knee. In 2021, I went five months without winning a match," he said in an interaction with DailyMail.

It was because of his wife Supriya Annaiah's insistence that he decided to carry on. She pushed him to keep going and to persevere in these difficult times. "My wife said If you want to quit, you can, but don't do it while you're feeling low like this," Bopanna said.

During the pandemic, he turned to yoga which strengthened his mind, helping him to play with more clarity.

The light at the end of the proverbial tunnel was there for Bopanna. His career, once again, turned over a new leaf and since 2023, he is back competing against the very best in the sport.

He was the runner-up at the Australian Open and US Open in 2023 and made a semifinal finish at the 2023 Wimbledon. His consistency at Grand Slams meant Bopanna was back in the ATP top 10 rankings.

Ageing like fine wine

2024 was finally the year of calling for Bopanna. After 61 attempts and 19 partners, Bopanna touched the peak at the fag end of his career. He won a major grand slam doubles title.

The ghosts of 2021 were far behind when Bopanna, paired with Matthew Ebden, won the 2024 Australian Open, making him the oldest player to win a grand slam. It took him to the top of the world rankings as the oldest World No. 1 player.

"When I was 33, I reached my career high of No 3. I did not expect all this to be happening 11 years later," he recollected.

The Olympics in Paris was his third, and he came extremely close to a medal, finishing fourth in Rio 2016, partnering Sania Mirza.

Rich legacy

"Sometimes I think back and wonder how I got to this level. I'm very proud, mainly of the way I've been able to manage my journey," Bopanna would say.

From the cool hills of Coorg, where he was raised, Bopanna has traversed through multitudes to reach the zenith.

Injuries, heartbreaks, bad form, he has persevered through all. He fought against every odd and is now standing tall as one of India's greatest-ever tennis players.

He might have called curtains on his national team career, but as one of the world's best in men's doubles, Bopanna's story is far from over. And long may it last!